


OF 






1861-1865 




BY 

P. L, LEDFORD 




Class ^ ^- '^^ 



Book 



Copyright N"- 



COPYRIGHT deposit: 



REMINISCENCES 



OF 



THE CIVIL WAR 



1861-1865 



BY 

P. L. LEDFORD 
THOMASVILLE, N. C, 

JULY 1909 



News Printing House 

Thomasville, N, C. 



•ru'5 



U^' 



Copyright 1909 
By P. L. LEDFORD 



(C)AUGV/1909 

Ci.A 344852 
AU3 16 1909 



PREFACE. 

Although many histories have been writ- 
ten and tradition has furnished its part 
toward the perpetuation of the memory of 
the exciting" times of the civil war, very 
much occurred that has never been recorded. 
Monuments may be erected and histories 
written, but unless the veterans now living" 
get busy and refresh their memories, and 
the memories of their comrades very much 
that happened, and ought to be preserved 
in durable form will with the passing of 
the main actors pass into oblivion. The 
Confederate Soldiers now living are all 
old men, and each one could, and ought 
to contribute items of information that 
would be interesting to the children and 
adults of future generations. These scenes, 
anecdotes, incidents and historical facts 
ought to be written by the soldiers them- 
selves, for by no other means can a correct 
history of the war period be handed down 
to posterity. 

I undertake my part cjf the task well 
knowing the information that I shall try 
to give will not be pictured in a graphic 
style to please the overeducated critic, but 
I feel assured that though written in a 
plain style the facts narrated will be read 
and appreciated by many who will not 
depreciate the information given, on 
account of the lack of embellishment or 
absence of the style so pleasing to the 



4 

lovers ot eloquence, poetry, song and 
graphic story. 

The following pages written by a plain 
confederate soldier who spent three years 
jn the war instead of at college are sub- 
mitted to the public upon the merits of 
the information given, without claiming 
any literary merit. Feeling that I am 
performing an imperative duty that I owe 
to the cause and my .country, I respectfully 
dedicate the reminiscences to the soldiers 
of the late war who were my comrades 
while passing through the trying ordeal. 

In another decade by the sweep of time, 
Many of the Veterans will fall out of line; 
After a score of years very few there will be 
For people then living- to entertain or see. 
The fev/ that are left will be old and alone, 
And quietly waiting- for the summons to come; 
Not until the last one shall have passed away 
Will justice be done to the heroes of that day 
Monuments will be erected on the g-round w^here 

they sleep 
And g-enerations to come will their memory keep, 
Patriots will pause with trembling- and fear 
And reverently on their g-raves drop a tear. 
A responsibility now rests on veterans passia,^ 

av/ay 
To rescue from oblivion the doing-s of that day. 
We may not with a facile pen 
Give a glowing description of scenes and men. 
We can in a plain and plausible way 
Give a rough sketch of the doing-s of that day. 
After w^e have g-one to our final home. 
These sketches will be read by g-enerations to 

come. 
Let us be up and doing- and work wnth might 
And thoug-h late in the day cosnmemorate thi 

right. 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I. 

Causes Leading- up to the Civil War. 

Origin of the War g 

Party Lines lo 

States Secede . ii 

CHAPTER II. 

Begrinning- of Hostilities. 

The War P>eg-ins ii 

Young- Men Volunteer 12 

Parting- Scenes 13 

Recusant, Conscripts and Deserters. _ 14 

Loss of Loved Ones 15 

Roll Call of the Dead 15 

CHAPTER HI. 

Condition of People Left at Home. 

AfTairs at Home 17 

Civil Orhcers at Home iS 

Money in Circulation 18 

Farming Interests . ig 

Women of the War 20 

Cotton King 21 

Soldiers on Furlough 21 

Homespun Dresses 21 

CHAPTER IV. 

Peace Demonstration Among: the People. 

Peace Movement 22 

Young Man Pilot 2^, 

Soldiers Break Up Meeting 23 

Leader of Movement 2^ 

Old Men Released 24 

Peace Sentiment not Suppressed 25 

CHAPTER V. 

Bill of Fare in the Southern Army. 

Soldiers Rations 25 

Rations Supplemented 26 

Extra Rations Found 26 

Coons and Foxes 27 

Unripe Persimmons 27 



6 

The Army not Starving: 28 

Rations of Whiskey 28 

Short Rations 29 

Soldiers Forage 29 

Questionable Methods 30 

Detail to Cook 30 

Reproof of Conscience 32 

Mince Pie 32 

Chaplain's Lecture 33 

CHAPTER VI. 

Surroundings of Soldiers and Soldier Life. 

Phases of Soldier Life 33 

Southern Soldiers 34 

Many Surprises 35 

Appearances Deceptive 35 

Soldiers in Camp 35 

Congenial Companions 36 

Disputes and Quarrels 37 

Winter Quarters 37 

Demoralizing- Influences 38 

Religious Worship 38 

CHAPTER Vn. 

Characteristics of Soldiers. 

Difference of Soldiers 39 

The Homesick Soldier 40 

Strenuous Soldiers 41 

Conservative Soldiers 41 

CHAPTER VHL 

Citizens Visiting: in Camp and the Sick Soldier. 

The Sick Soldier 42 

Surgeon's Call 42 

Simple Minded Sick Soldier 43 

Despondent Sick Soldier 43 

Visiting 45 

Portly Gentleman 45 

Lady Visitors 46 

CHAPTER IX. 

Incidents of Camp and Prison Life. 

Soldiers in Prison 46 

Exchange of Prisoners 47 

Punishment 48 

Rations 48 



7 

Camp Life 49 

Soldier on Inspection 50 

Recruit on Guard 51 

An Economical Soldier 53 

A Soldier's Retort 53 

A Boisterous Soldier 54 

Recruit Detailed 56 

CHAPTER X. 

Picket Lines, Battles and Battlefields. 

Picket Line 57 

Picket or Scout 57 

On the Picket Line 58 

Exchangee of Courtesies 59 

Fearful Experience 60 

Burned Bodies of the Dead — 61 

Test of Valor 61 

Escape to the Enemy 62 

Welcome Peace 62 

On the War Path 62 

Unreliable Soldiers 63 

Music in Battle 63 

Battles 64 

Battlefields 65 

After the Battle 67 

CHAPTER XL 

Fourteenth Regriment N. C. Infantry and General 
Officers of the Army of Northern Va. 

Fourteenth N. C. Regiments ^y 

Officers 68 

Unique Characters 69 

A Brave Soldier 70 

Color Bearer 70 

Amusing: Scenes__ 70 

On the Campaigfn 71 

Distressing: Scenes . 72 

Battles Eng:ag:ed in 73 

Victory and Defeat 73 

Decisive Battle 75 

The Enemy Surprised 75 

Battle of Chancellorsville 75 

At Apomattox 76 

General Officers 71 



8 

General Cox "y? 

General Grimes 78 

General Ramseur j_ 78 

General Rodes 79 

General D. H. Hill 79 

General A. P. Hill 80 

General Ewell 80 

General Early 81 

General Stuart 81 

General Long-street 82 

General Breckenridge 82 

General Gordon 82 

General Wheeler 82 

General Jackson 83 

General Robert E. Lee 84 

Recapitulation 85 

CHAPTER XH. 

Reconstruction Period. 

Surrender of Lee 86 

Rig-ht to Secede 87 

Sherman's March to the Sea 87 

Home Coming of Soldiers 88 

Assassination of Lincoln 8g 

Federal OfBcers -^ 90 

Conduct of Yankee Soldiers 90 

Looters Follow Yankee Army 91 

Provisional Government gi 

The Negro Enfranchised gi 

Carpetbaggers 92 

The Negro Politician 92 

Election a Farce 93 

Legislature 93 

County Officers 94 

Crimes Committed 96 

Negroes Offensive 96 

Ku Klux Klan 97 

Holden and Kirk 97 

Judiciary Exhausted 98 

Judge Brooks 99 

Negro Problem 99 

The Oldtime Darkey 100 

The Emancipated Negro loi 

The Coming South 103 



taioimceroniieCMIWaUSS 



CHAPTER I. 

CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR. 

Origin of the War. — At this time, 
more than forty years removed from the 
date of the exciting" scenes enacted in the 
sixties, I desire for the benefit and edifica- 
tion of my relatives, soldier friends and 
other special friends, in a plain unvarnished 
style to record a few of the incidents and 
doing's of the people, who were active par- 
ticipants in the drama of those strenuous 
tim.es. I shall not confine myself to dates 
or specially comment on the personal his- 
tory of any one, but merely wish to rescue 
from oblivion such items of information 
as occur to me, quoting entirely from 
memory, not having- any notes taken at 
Lthe time to refer to. I propose to deal in 
facts, and any reference I rpay make will 
reflect my views from the stand point of a 
young man of that period. For a few years 
prior to the beginning of the war, I by 
reading the current literature or newspaper 
productions of the country, and listening 
to discussions of leading men of the times, 
had kept myself fairly well posted. The 
signs of the times were ominous and indi- 



lO 



cations pointed to a disruption. Dark, 
threatening- clouds of war seemed to 
hover over our fair land that had so long 
enjoyed the blessings of peace and pros- 
perity. Perhaps we did not appreciate or 
failed to realize it, we were really living in 
a land that flowed with milk and honey. 

Party Lines. — Like every other great 
revolution the awful calamity was preceded 
by a political revolution. Party lines 
were broken and sectional issues caused an 
alignment of parties North and South. 
The burning questions of Slavery and 
State Rights were brought prominently to 
the front. Incendiary speeches were made 
and incendiary literature scattered broad- 
cast over the land. The National Demo- 
cratic Party assembled in convention, dis- 
agreed upon a platform, and the result 
was a division of the delegates and the 
placing of two candidates in the field for 
president viz.: Douglas and Breckinridge. 
The old Whig Party was defunct and its 
scattered forces rallied with Bell for its 
standard bearer, assuming the name of 
Knownothing, or American Party. North 
of Mason and Dixon's line a strong sec- 
tional party had been organized known as 
the the Republican Party, with Abraham 
Lincoln for its candidate for the presidency. 
The campaign was fierce and bitter to the 
extreme. The leaders advocating the 
claims of their respective candidates were 
aggressive and abusive, and the people 
wrought up to a high pitch of excitement. 



II 

The canvassing and comparing: the votes 
in the Electoral College gave Lincoln the 
requisite number, and he was declared 
elected. On the fourth day of March 1861 
he became president of the United States. 
The fanatics of the North and fire eaters 
of the South at once got busy, and by 
their oflticious activity precipitated the war. 
States Secede. — The Cotton States 
seceded and set up a government of their 
own. Jefferson Davis was elected presi- 
dent of the Southern Confederacy. North 
Carolina with other border States waited 
for some overt act of Lincoln before pass- 
ing the Ordinance of Secession. A con- 
vention was called, delegates elected and 
assembled. The convention was composed 
of delegates, a majority of whom were 
elected as union delegates, and of course 
the delegates were backed by a constit- 
uency of the same sentiment. The peo- 
ple of the old North State clung to the 
Union as long as there was a vestige of 
hope of its preservation. 

CHAPTER IL 

BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES. 

The War Begins. — Fort Sumpter was 
fired upon and surrendered. Lincoln 
called for troops from North Carolina to 
help to subjugate her Southern sister 
States. Governor Ellis promptly informed 
the president that no troops would be fur- 
nished from the State for such a purpose, 
and at once called for volunteers to assist 
the South in its struggle for independence. 



12 

The state followed the lead of Virg-Iniay 
identified herself with the South, and the 
war was on. 

The most loyal friends of the Union 
now plainly saw that w-ar was inevitable, 
and that there was no neutral g^round to 
occupy. This plain proposition presented 
itself that all must fig'ht, and to fig"ht for 
the perpetuation or restoration of the 
Union meant crossing" the lines and tak- 
ing up arms against our own homes and 
our own people. Very few were willing 
to take this step or assume such a respon- 
sibility. Past differences of opinion were 
to a great extent reconciled, the bulk of 
the people stood together, joined the South- 
ern forces, fought under the same fiag, and 
startled the civilized w^orld with their won- 
derful achievements. 

Young Men Volunteer. — Young men 
of my immediate neighborhood volun- 
teered, some of them deceived by the spell- 
binders who in their harangues asserted that 
all of the blood lost in the war could be 
wiped up with a silk handkerchief. These 
impetuous uncompromising war men soon 
began to maneuver to screen themselves 
and their sons from serving as soldiers m 
the army, and were busy trying to secure 
bomb proof positions or hire substitutes. 
The conservative element composed large- 
ly of the honest yeomanry of the country, 
including many of its best citizens, although 
not ambitious for military honors, or 
overanxious to become soldiers, held 



13 

themselves in readiness to join the army 
when they considered it time for them to 
go or their country demanded their ser- 
vices. As time moved on the army was 
enlarged and the home force depleted. 
From time to time citizens left their homes 
to exchange the garb of the citizen for the 
iiriform of the soldier. 

Parting Scenes. — There were many- 
pathetic scenes at the parting of loved 
ones. The mother reluctantly gave up 
her sons that she had fondly hoped would 
be to her a solace, comfort and support in 
her declining years. The boys in their 
vigorous young manhood went to the war, 
but many or them never crossed the 
threshold of home again. The faithful 
wife kissed her husband good-bye fondly 
hoping, wishing and praying that he would 
be spared to return home again, perhaps 
in a short time she was left a lonely widow 
vvith the double responsibility resting upon 
her of training the little family of more 
than orphan children that with her were 
left to mourn their irreparable loss. The 
affectionate sister who had grown up in 
the same home with a brother she was 
proud of, helped him to get ready to go 
to the war, feeling sure he would return 
home with honors in a short time, but 
the ravages of disease, the exposures of the 
camp or march, or a fatal shot from the 
enemy caused him to fill a soldier's grave. 
The sweet young girl enjoying the ecstatic 
bliss of loves bright, young dream, cheered 



14 

her lover as he moved on to the war, and 
perhaps at parting- they exchanged vows 
of undying- affection, but cruel fate depriv- 
ed the g;allant youngs soldier of the privi- 
lege of returning to claim his bride. He 
too, had to give up his life on the fatal 
field of battle. 

Ere the war was half over the most of 
the ablebodied men were required to join 
the army. Many of them promptly 
responded, while others not willing to 
risk the dangers to which soldiers were 
exposed refused to go and concealed them- 
selves. 

Recusant Conscripts and Deserters. — 
In some sections of the country there were 
recusant conscripts and deserters consist- 
ing of two classes. There were some 
substantial citizens at home that were 
doing well, quietly attending to their own 
home affairs, without paying much atten- 
tion to the politics of the country. These 
citizens were uncompromising union men, 
opposed to the war, quietly concealed 
themselves and failed to report for duty 
when called upon. They were not out- 
laws in the full acceptation of the term, 
were supported by homefolks and friendly 
sympathizers, and did not interfere with 
the personal rights or property of anyone. 
There were others though who were vin- 
dictive and terrorized the people by pil- 
laging, stealing, robbing, doing private 
injury and sometimes threatening the lives 
of people at home. In places infested by 



15 
such g:ang:s a fearful state of affairs existed. 
These recusant conscripts and deserters 
were hunted by details of soldiers already 
in the service, assisted by militia officers 
at home. Some of the militia officers ren- 
dered themselves very unpopular by offen- 
sive methods used to capture men who 
were dodgfing:, consequently a very bitter 
feeling- was engendered between neig:hbors 
and sometimes between members of the 
same family. The power of the civil 
gfovernment and military was used to 
induce all to join the army, and the most 
of the men subject to military duty had to 
gOy althoug-h some went under protest. 

Loss OF Loved Ones. — As the war 
advanced there was mourning: in many 
homes, on account of the loss of loved 
ones. Within a radius of a very few miles 
of my home many stalwart young; men 
were brougfht home dead, having: sickened 
and died in camp, on the march, in the 
hospital, or having: been slain in battle. 
Many a poor boy the idol of a g:ood moth- 
er g-ave up his life on the g:ory battlefield, 
deprived of the tender care and affectionate 
ministrations of a mother, sister or wife to 
comfort him in his dying: hour. Some 
were left with their bones to bleach on the 
g:ory field of battle, others were never 
accounted for and if buried at all were 
buried by strang:ers that did not know 
them and perhaps did not want to know 
them. 

Roll Call of The Dead. — The fol- 



i6 
lowing- principally young- men are the 
names of some of my relations, playmates, 
schoolmates, acquaintances or soldier com- 
rades that lost their lives during: the war: 

NAMES. 

Henry Burough, Alsan Burough, Frank- 
lin Buroug-h, David Bowers, Zadoc Bur- 
ton, Basil Burton, Frank Britt, John Cli- 
nard, Henry Clinard, John Clinard, Francis 
Clinard, William Collett, Franklin Collett, 
Jacob "Crouch, John Crouch, Hugh Clod- 
felter, David Clodfelter, Alfred Cecil, Nel- 
son Cecil, William Craven, Ransom Ed- 
ing:er, George Eding-er, Phillip Edinger, 
Jesse Edwards, William Fowler, Benjamin 
Faulkner, Nicholas Fonts, Henry Fritts, 
Jesse Green, Shepherd Green, Daniel 
Green, Harrison Green, John Gardner, 
John Gillcm, Madison Harmon, Charles 
Harmon, Elwood Haines, Sanford Ham- 
mer, Jacob Hedgcock, John Hiatt, Fred 
Hiatt, Jesse Hilton, Evan Hilton, Jacob 
Hilton, Henry Hilton, Barnabas Hay- 
worth, C. P. Jones, Purvis Jackson, 
Joseph Jackson, Joseph Jones, William 
Kanoy, John Kanoy, Henderson Kanoy, 
John Kanoy, Charles Kennedy, John L. 
Long:, Henry F. Ledford, Charles Lines, 
Joseph Murphy, William Miller, Franklin 
Motsing:er, John Meredith, Winborn Men- 
denhall, Robert McCutcheon,Mack Myers, 
Harrison Porter, Charles Payne, Thomas 
Payne, Shubel Payne, Sanford Payne, 
Solomon Roberts, John Stone, William 
Stone, Milton Sledge, Hiram Sowers, 



17 
Humphrey Sowers, Robert Small, Samuel 
Sink, John Sink, Adam Sink, Valentine 
Sink, Jesse Sink, Solomon Sink, George 
Sink, John Sink, Joseph Sink, David Shu- 
ler, William Traynham, McKindre Veach, 
John Wagner, Charlie Willie, William 
Wagner, John Welborn, Madison Wel- 
born, William Whitehart, Willis White- 
hart, and John Yokley. 

Comparatively few of my acquaintances 
or young" men with whom I associated 
prior to the beginning of hostilities, went 
to the war and returned to their homes at 
the close. Some of them returned on 
crutches, some with empty sleeves, and 
some with scars of wounds received in 
battle that they will carry to their graves. 
CHAPTER HI. 

CONDITION OF PEOPLE LEFT AT HOME. 

Affairs at Home: — The women, chil- 
dren, old men and servants left at home 
passed through an ordeal sad indeed to 
contemplate. The servants or negroes 
deserved much credit for their loyalty to 
their then legal owners. Instead of being 
a menace as was feared and expected, they 
were a protection to the helpless white 
population, and did much for the support 
of the people at home, and for the support 
of the soldiers in the field. To the very 
old people the blow fell with a crushing 
force. In addition to the accumulated 
burdens that naturally fall to the lot of 
old people, the loss of their sons, grand 
sons, and neighbors so prostrated them 



i8 
with grief that the gray hairs of many of 
them were broug;ht down in sorrow to the 
g"rave. The little children for four years 
being- deprived of the protection, support, 
counsel and assistance of fathers suffered 
an irreparable loss, a loss that no subse- 
quent attention, education or opportunity 
could possibly restore. 

Civil Officers at Home. — After the 
war had somewhat advanced, the civil 
officers, railroad and mail service and pub- 
lic places were to a great extent manag^ed 
by old men. Young men at home were 
lonesome and did not stand as high in the 
estimation of the people as the young men 
who went to the war. They too liad to 
submit to the taunts of the soldiers, on 
account of their maneuvering to keep out 
of danger. It was not considered patriotic 
for young men to screen themselves, be- 
cause there seemed to be a necessity for 
all to enter the service, or at least as some 
had to go it was argued that all should 
fare alike. Schools and churches suffered 
in the general wreck and the morals and 
intelligence of the rising generation was 
at a low ebb. Teachers and preachers' 
salaries and physicians' fees were paid in 
kind. Corn, wheat, beans, peas, pork, 
bacon, lard, butter, homemade cloth, and 
anything that answered for clothing or 
provision was gladly received as a sub- 
stitute for money. 

Money in Circulation. — The only 
money in circulation was Confederate 



19 
money or State treasury notes which 
depreciated in value until worth scarcely 
the paper upon which it was printed. The 
g"old and silver coin in the hands of the 
people was hidden or buried in the g^round 
not to be resurrected unless in case of 
extreme necessity. Very little building 
or improvement of any kind was g"oin§" on. 
Farming Interests. — For the want of 
laborers farms were neg'lected and many 
fertile fields g'rowed up with sprouts and 
briers. Fences gave out or fence rows 
g-rowed up with weeds and briers. Gulleys 
washed in the roads and some places were 
almost impassable. Everything in the 
way of improvement was on the decline. 
But few new houses were built and home- 
folks were some times driven to the neces- 
sity of sheltering in houses not very com- 
fortable. Farm implements gave out and 
it was a difificult matter to replace them. 
Old plows and hoes that had been thrown 
away were hunted up and repaired so as 
to answer the purpose, and many rude 
substitutes used for farming tools that had 
been formerly used. It was a turning back 
to usages of generations past. Rawhides 
were tanned in the country and coblers 
made shoes out of the homemade leather. 
In place of the New Orleans or Cuba 
molasses a syrup was manufactured from 
sugar cane grown on the farm. Some 
enterprising boys gathered persimimons 
and had them distilled into brandy which 
supplemented the supply made from the 



20 

surplus fruit. Corn and rye were not dis- 
tilled into whiskey on account of the scar- 
city of breadstuff. A little of everything 
made on the farm was collected and placed 
in the hands of a commissary and was used 
to help support the soldiers in the army. 

Women of the War. — The noble 
women took upon themselves a burden 
that was borne with fortitude or heroism 
that is without a paralled in the annals of 
the history of any country or any people. 
They achieved wonders in the homes by 
their ready inventive powers, which enab- 
led them to substitute many useful articles 
from which they were cut off, on account 
of the blockade, rig-edly enforced by the 
Federal authorities. Spicevvood tea, Sas- 
safras tea, a bever:\ge made of parched 
corn, rye, chestnuts, dried slices of sweet 
potatoes and many other thing's were used 
as a substitute for coffee. Dried persim- 
mons were used for pudding's after the 
season for them had passed, and a very 
g'ood bread was made with a mixture of 
potatoes with meal or fiour. On many 
farms women and children cultivated the 
crops making- a support for homefolks. 
Women would hoe corn, sometimes plow, 
make hay, bind and haul in Vv^heat, some 
times help to thresh, gather, shuck and 
crib corn and do almost any kind of farm 
work The little girls would put the 
bridles on old horses or mules and with 
g-rists of corn or wheat ride several miles 
to mill. The old man at the mill would 



21 

pleasantly speak to the little g^irls, address- 
ing- them as his smart little boys. The 
little girls proud of the distinction would 
saucily and laughingly answer him saying, 
"Yes we are Tomboys." 

Cotton King. — Cotton proved to be 
king indeed, and upon this staple the south 
depended largely for clothing, bed cloth- 
ing, tent cloths and indeed everything for 
which cloth was used. The women took 
the lint or raw material and by carding, 
spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing con- 
verted it into clothing, bed clothing and 
many other articles. In place of dyestuffs 
usually purchased at the stores and 
brought from other countries, they used 
Walnut, Redoak, or Maple bark, Sumac 
and other things that they discovered they 
could substitute and utilize. From wheat 
straw they manufactured hats that answered 
the purpose and were worn by men, women 
and children. 

Soldiers on Furlough. — The girls 
were proud of the boys who were in the 
army, always glad to see them come hom,e 
and always gave them a cordial welcome 
when they came home on furlough. Sev- 
eral girls would get together and give the 
boys a reception which amounted to an 
ovation. The girls and soldier boys mutu- 
ally enjoyed these gatherings and would 
together sing war songs or popular airs 
such as, Dixie, Southern Girl, Stars and 
Bars, Homespun dress etc. 

FIoMESPUN Dresses. — The girls w^orc 



22 

homespun dresses and in the estimation 
of the boys were just as pretty, neat and 
sweet as if they had been arrayed in silk 

and purple. 

Pretty g-irls vacated the parlor and sitting: room 
To operate the spinning- wheel and old fashioned 

loom, 
The lint of the cotton was carded to a shred, 
Then carded into rolls and spun into thread. 
Thread was placed on a reel which turned round 

a^ain and again 
Until the dial plate registered enough cuts for a 

skein. 
The thread was then placed in homemade dye 
And changed into any color that was desired , 
On the warping bars the thread was handled again 
And the piece laid off lor so many yards of caain. 
On the spindle of the little wheel was placed the 

reed quill. 
And enough thread placed around it the reed to fill 
The thread then around the beam was strung 
And the quills in the shuttle nicely hung. 
Two pretty girls were busy working all day 
Placing the thread through a six hundred sley, 
Then the battle with the baton begun 
And ere long the bolt of cloth was done. 
Then with the skill of an artists hand 
The cutting of the garments by the girls began; 
Very soon the little girls were dressed up neat 
In homespun dresses looking pretty and swaet. 

CHAPTER IV 

PEACE DEMONSTRATIONS AMONG THE 
PEOPLE. 

Peace' Movement. — In 1862 a very 
decided sentiment in favor of a peace 
movement was inaug:urated and attained 
to some prominence in the state, especially 
among the original union men and parties 
dissatisfied with the ex'sting" state of 
affairs. Announcement of a meeting was 
made to be held at a place near Thomas- 
ville known as Kennedy's School House. 
Publicity was given to the report that 
speakers would be prvi^ssnt to address the 
m^etinj and discuss the proposed issue. 
A good crowd assembled, the most of them 
prompted by honorable motives, merely 
wishing to hear discussed or explained 
the plan proposed by the leaders of the 



23 

movement. With the exception of a very 
few of the leaders no one entertained any- 
treasonable intentions. The authorities 
had been notified of the proposed meeting- 
and a detail of soldiers was sent to break 
it up. 

Young Man Pilot. — A young- man 
who happened to be in the neighborhood 
was pressed into service by the soldiers to 
pilot them to the place. He did not relish 
the idea of going with them, but the unus- 
ual sight of bayonets and guns in the hands 
of the beligerent soldiers was a very per- 
suasive argument to him to induce him to 
comply with their demands. He does not 
deny the fact that he was badly scared, and 
although he laughs about it now, says 
that it was a serious matter then, and that 
he distinctly remembers his hair stood up 
stiff and straight giving him trouble to 
keep his hat on his head. 

Soldiers Break up Meeting. — V/ith- 
out any previous notice the soldiers charged 
upon the meeting and the crowd dispersed 
and retreated at the first intimation of their 
approach. The citizens hit the grit and 
ran with a speed that would put to shame 
the exploits of the Yankees and Rebels in 
the valley of Virginia. 

Leader of Movement. — The leader 
who was mainly responsible for the meet- 
ing was the first one to absent himself 
upon the approach of the soldiers. He 
got away as fast as his legs could carry 
him, and that was about as fast as anyone 



24 

could g:o, for he had the reputation of 
being: a champion runner. A tall young* 
man made a break for the tall timber and 
was in the act of unhitching his horse, 
when a limb very close to him was cut off 
by a niinnie ball. It was supposed that 
he was shot at throug^h mistake, and that 
the soldiers shooting at him were under 
the impression that he was the leader, who 
had been represented to them as a tall 
man. A friend of the victim of this close 
call who was also near by unhitching 
his horse was treated to music made by 
the hissing of minnie balls, passing uncom- 
fortably near him. Both of them left the 
place as fast as their horses could carry 
them. A good portion of the crowd was 
captured and taken to Camp Holmes, near 
Raleigh. The most of the young men 
captured volunteered and joined the 
Southern Army and the old men were 
finally released. 

Old Men Released. — It was especially 
severe on the very old men who were with- 
out warning taken and compelled to endure 
the privations of prison and camp life. 
The poor old men innocently feeling that 
they had done no wrong were kept in sus- 
pense and in constant dread for many days 
fearing that they would be court-marshalled 
and perhaps executed. Among them was 
an eccentric old fellow not overly pre- 
posessing in appearance. After being in 
camp for many days without a change of 
clothing and his white beard stained with 



25 

tobacco juice, he presented a ratlier 
g^rotesqiie and by no means attractive 
appearance, but he took a philosophical 
view of the situation and looked on the 
sunny side. He amused the soldiers in 
camp with his wit and humor, and although 
perhaps eighty years old would sing: g-ay 
song^s and with a little encourag-ement from 
the boys dance a jig-. At the close of the 
day he would seriously say to his old com- 
rades that althoug-h they had passed 
throug;h another day it would be their last, 
and that they would all be executed tomor- 
row. His comrades knew that he indulged 
in a g:reat deal of levity, but being appre- 
hensive themselves feared the old man was 
correct in his surmises, and retired not to 
sleep but to think of loved ones at home 
that they would perhaps never see again. 

Peace Sentiment not Suppressed. — 
The incident did not entirely suppress the 
sentiment in the community in favor of 
peace, but did prevent any further public 

demonstration. 

A blessed hope of peace permeated the throng-, 

Tjo them it cooed like a dove with its siren song-, 

But it proved a delusion and a snare 

To g:et them in trouble of which they were not 

aware. 
They innocently cried peace when there was no 

peace, 
Their unfortunate meeting: was imprudent at least; 
The meeting- culminated in a trag-ic end 
And made them wiser and perhaps better men. 

CHAPTER V. 

BILL OF FARE IN THE SOUTHERN ARMY. 

Soldiers' Rations. — Soldiers in the 
Southern army did not live on the fat of 



26 

the land farcing sumptuously every day. 
They often had to live on a stinted allow- 
ance, and articles of food placed before 
them that would not have been accepted 
with thanks at home. A day's allowance 
to a soldier consisted of a small cake of 
wheat or corn bread, or six hard tacks, a 
small piece of beef or pickled pork, some- 
times a little rice or small amount of beans 
or peas. A hearty man that g"ave way to 
his appetite often ate an entire day's 
rations at one meal and then was hungry 
the balance of the day. The judicious 
soldier though divided his allowance into 
three parts and fared better by adhering 
strictly to the custom of eating three times 
a day. 

Rations Supplemented. — Anything 
in sight was devoured with avidity to sup- 
plement rations issued. Parched corn on 
a march when the supply was scarce was 
not a poor substitute for bread. If a sol- 
dier found a persimmon tree loaded with 
fruit it was gathered with as much eager- 
ness as a miner would pick up a gold nug- 
get. Such a find was regarded as a bonanza. 
Walnuts, hickory nuts or even acorns were 
carefully saved to supplement rations 
issued. 

Extra Rations Found. — A squad of 
men was detailed to tear down an old 
building and removing the rubbish cap- 
tured and killed several big fat rats which 
were skinned, dressed, cooked and ate 
with a relish. Around the old building 



27 

was a luxurious g^rowth of cresses and 
wild onions, which were carefully g^athered 
by the soldiers and cooked and considered 
very palatable. 

Coons and Foxes. — One evening after 
the army stopped to g-o in camp a tree 
was cut down for fire wood and the sol- 
diers were surprised and pleased to find 
and catch two nice coons which were 
cooked for supper and made a very savory 
dish. At another time while gfoing: into 
camp a rush was made for a tree top and a 
red fox was jumped. The chase was very 
much enjoyed by the boys. The fox in 
its frantic efiforts to escape sometimes 
jumped as hig^h as the heads of the soldiers 
who surrounded it and was knocked back 
by them. Finally the fox was captured 
and the boys said it tasted much better 
than beef or pork they were accustomed 
to. 

Unripe Persimmons. — On a march a 
soldier dropped out of line, climbed a tree 
and was helping: himself to unripe persim- 
mons. An officer coming- alongf, repri- 
manded him, ordered him back in line and 
asked him why he was so g^reedily devour- 
ing" such unwholesome food? The soldier 
innocently replied that he had discovered 
that g-reen persimmons had a drawing 
effect and thoug-ht perhaps by using them 
he could shrink his stomach to the capacity 
of amount of rations issued. The officer 
seemed to comprehend the logic of his rea- 
soning and left him to test the practical 



28 

value of his theory. 

The Army Not Starving. — It is n6t 
the intention to try to make the impression 
that the Southern army was in a starving- 
condition. Such an intimation would be 
misleading'. The only wonder is that the 
soldiers were provided for as well as they 
really were. Perhaps all armies some 
times suffer the inconvenience of short 
rations. The kind reader must charitably 
in imagination take the place of the soldier 
to be fully competent to sympathize with 

him. 

The overscrupulous reader with pious thought 
May condemn the soldier for using- thingrs not 

bought. 
And may in his honest heart feel 
That under no circumstances should aryone steal. 
Better g-et down on repentance stool 
And fig:ure out the g-olden rule; 
Go to bed hungry and fail to sleep 
Then g-et up courage tne eigth commandment to 

keep. 

Rations of Whiskey. — Rations of 
whiskey were occasionally issued and the 
effects of the stimulant were very soon 
apparent, for soldiers had nothing to put 
the liquid in to save, and were obliged to 
use it to keep it from wasting and then for 
awhile there was plenty of fun in which 
officers and soldiers joined. If an officer 
happened to g-et enough to make him too 
hillarious he was placed in arrest until he 
sobered up. If a soldier in the ranks 
imbibe! to freely and in consequence 
wanted to monopolize control of things 
and indulged in conversation boisterous or 
unbecoming he was quietly assigned to 
quarters in the guard-house until he had 
time to cool off. 



29 

Short Rations. — Sometimes rations 
were short and hungry soldiers are not apt 
to be in the best of humor, At such times 
g^rumbling- was in order or at least freely 
indulged in, but grumbling did not bring 
the beef and corn bread. If adjacent to 
orchards, patato patches, corn fields or 
hen roosts, some of the boys vvould man- 
age to supplement their rations, put on an 
innocent look and apparently become 
indignant if accused of crossing the guard 
line of the camps. 

Soldiers Forage. — Soldiers would for- 
age for something to eat. They would 
visit farm houses and put in a plausible 
plea, with money, cheek or chin music, 
get on the good side of the good women 
and prevail on them to furnish them with 
fruit, potatoes, butter, apple butter, bread, 
pies or anythnig that could be used and a 
soldier could use anything that anybody 
could eat. A shrewd forager failirg to 
get anything at farm houses would take 
a mental survey of the different places and 
at night vvould by bribing the sentinel or 
slipping across the guard line go straight 
to potato patches, orchards or corn fields 
and borrow fruit, potatoes, roasting ears 
and sometimes induce a fat hen to go to 
camp. This process of borrowing was so 
skillfuly manipulated that the owner of the 
premises was kept in blissful ignorance of 
the way the articles were appropriated. 
There were company officers who would 
deal very gentle with a soldier that stole 



30 

out of camp to forag:e, provided the officer 
shared in the find whatever it might be. 

Questionable Methods. — A big: burly 
soldier went a short distance from camp 
and deliberately shot down a good sized 
fat pig, being caught in the act by some 
soldiers, he said he killed it in self defense 
and that no hog should bite him. He 
skinned the hog, carried it to camp, late in 
the night borrowed a camp kettle and 
cooked the pork. Some officers passing 
along reproved the soldier and threatened 
to put him in the guard house, but were 
persuaded to be lenient by promising them 
a good slice of the pork which tasted as 
good to an officer as a private. The good 
old citizen had a drove of fat hogs, missed 
one and reported to the colonel of the 
regiment. An order was at once issued to 
the captain of each company to search the 
tents. An officer passed round, peeped 
into the tents, saw no pork or even smelled 
any and reported nothing found in the 
company. The most of the boys of the 
company though had a good breakfast and 
pork was part of the bill of fare. 

Detail to Cook. — On a march one 
evening the army halted to take up camp 
for the night; rations were issued and a 
detail made to do the cooking. Among 
the soldiers detailed was one who though 
very much fatigued worked faithfully until 
the two days rations were cooked and 
issued to the men. His partner imme- 
diately after going in camp had gone to a 



31 

farm house not far distant and had suc- 
ceeded in g^etting^ two canteens full of gfood 
fresh milk. After the cooking- was done 
the soldier who had been detailed being- 
very hungry, took the canteen of milk, 
two day's rations and ate it all for supper, 
not leaving- a crumb for the next two days. 
He then took in the situation, jumped at 
a conclusion, struck a bee line across a 
piece of woods and accidentally met a com- 
rade whose breath betrayed the fact that 
he had been drinking^ brandy. It suddenly 
occured to the soldier that he needed a lit- 
tle for his stomach's sake, althoug-h it was 
. loaded v/ith two day's rations, and they 
tog-ether went a short tlistance across the 
country and was face to face with the 
maker and vender of the liquid. Making- 
their wants known he took their canteens 
and a pitcher supposed to be full of water 
and started for the liquor house. The 
boys followed him §;oing: through a din- 
ing room. The quick eye of the soldier 
noticed a clean table cloth on the table 
covering something. Without stopping 
as he passed along he quietly raised the 
cloth and made a discovery. One of the 
boys canteens was filled and handed back 
to him. Upon sampling it they found it 
had been well watered. The citizen was 
politely informed that it was brandy not 
water the boys wanted. Without arguing 
the case he poured the grog out of the 
canteen and filled them up with the pure 
unadulterated article. After filling the 



32 

vessels he lead the way starting: out and 
the boys followed, the boy who had been 
detailed to cook in the rear. Passings 
throug^h the dining^ room by some nnac- 
countab4e manipulation the rations moved 
from the table and bread, meat, pickles, 
pies and cakes found a resting: place in the 
capacious haversack of the soldier and 
there was no more solicitude about rations 
for the next two days. 

Reproof of Conscience. — Late one even- 
ing: the army marched by a luxurious field 
of corn. A soldier who was hung;ry and 
whose haversack was empty thought it 
would be real nice to have roasting: ears 
for supper. As soon as the army halted 
to g:o into camp, he with two comrades 
thoug:h quite a distance started for the field 
of corn. When they g:ot to the field it 
seemed to be full of soldiers on the same 
mission as they were. The soldier thoug^h 
hung:ry and very much fatig:ued proposed 
to his companions to return to camp and 
trust to providence, declaring: that his con- 
science would not allow him to join the 
crowd and take the corn. They returned 
to camp and were ag-reeably surprised to 
find in their tent a box from home full of 
g:ood thing:s to eat. The soldier v/as fully 
convinced by the circumstance that ''Con- 
science is in all cases a correct moral 
g:uide." 

Mince Pie. — Two boys came into camp 
one day selling* mince pies. Two soldiers 
bought one, ate, smacked their lips, pro- 



33 

nouncing- it good and wished for more. 
Before the boys g^ot out of hearing- they 
got into a dispute about the division of 
the money. The smaller boy cried and 
said it was his puppy that was killed to 
{urnish material for the pie and he was 
entitled to his part of the proceeds. The 
soldier boys would have been glad to have 
parted with the puppy dog, but it had 
come to stay. 

Chaplain's Lecture. — On one occa- 
sion on a march rations were scarce and 
the soldiers were hungry. Some of the 
boys invaded a corn field and were pluck- 
ing ears of corn expecting at night to feast 
on roasting ears for supper, The chaplain 
of a regiment rode along and began to 
give the boys a moral lecture, telling them 
it was wrong to steal and that the corn 
did not belong to them. The soldiers paid 
no attention to his talk and quietly filled 
their sacks. The chaplain seeing that they 
wer€ determined to take the corn said to 
them, if they were going to take the corn 
anyway to throw him over a few ears for 
his pony. 

CHAPTER VI. 

SURROUNDINGS OF SOLDIERS AND SOLDIER 
LIFE. 

Phases of Soldier. Life. — The many 
phases of soldier life furnish the inquiring 
mind food for thought and research The 
mere fact that an army is an aggregation 
of discordant elements made up from dif^ 



34 
ferent parts of the country is a sufficient 
basis for an interesting subject for investi- 
g^ation. The soldiers representing the dif- 
ferent sections of the country represent the 
manners, customs, habits and characteristics 
of the inhabitants of the communities from 
which they came. In addition to this if 
we take into consideration the personal 
habits, cliaracteristics and eccentricities of 
the individual, analyzing the atitude, lati- 
tude, aptitude, and magnitude of the ca- 
pabilities and wonderful scope of each 
one we find ourselves exploring a wonder* 
ful field that startles us. ; 

Southern Soldiers. — ^The Southern 
army was not only made up of soldiers 
from different parts of the country, but 
from the different pursuits and conditions 
of life. Our army of which the South has 
cause to be proud contained the most of 
the ablebodied men of the South, and it is 
no reflection upon the fair name and fame 
of the gallant soldiers of the army that 
there were among them some enrolled that 
were failures. There were figureheads, 
deadbeats, skulkers, hospital rats and oth- 
ers who were drawbacks to the army. 
There were men enrolled who at home 
were successful and regarded as good citi- 
zens, but as soldiers were failures because 
they had no turn, taste, tact, inclination 
or adaptability for soldier life. It was 
unfortunate for our army, our country and 
for such soldiers that there was a necessity 
to enroll them. 



35 

Many Surprises. — Very often the 
palest, thinest, weakliest, scrawniest look- 
ing: fellow stood the exposure and hard- 
ships of the camp, march and battlefield 
much better than a stalwart looking: boy. 
Sometimes the most timid lad, who seemed 
to shrink from any duty likely to give him 
notoriety, developed into the most ag^gfres- 
sive, daring soldier and astonished officers 
and comrades with his reckless ventures 
and achievements. There were officers and 
men who would for the sake of promotion 
unnecessarily expose to imminent dangfer 
themselves or men under them. The truly 
brave soldier will shelter or protect him- 
self when he can do so without jeopardiz- 
ing: the cause he represents, but when 
necessary will expose himself and face dan- 
ger like a man. The truly brave officer 
will lead and not undertake to drive his 
men in battle and screen himself. 

Appearances Deceptive. — Appearances 
are often deceptive. Sometimes a man of 
fine physique, good looking, stalwart, hav- 
ing the appearance of being a brave soldier 
that would sacrifice his life rather than 
show the white feather collapses in the 
hour of danger, entirely unable to control 
his nervous system, proving himself to be 
constitutionally a coward. Such men 
ought to be pitied instead of being per- 
secuted. 

Soldiers in Camp. — The self constituted 
bully of the camp who wants to engage in 
a fisticuff with any one that dares to cross 



36 
bis path will often tr£mble with fear when 
goings into battle. The soldier that delights 
in giving' exaggerated; accounts of his 
exploits and hairbreadth escapes usually is 
an artful dodger and an expert in framing 
excuses to keep out of; danger when the 
battle is on. , In the army were soldiers 
who died of grief or homesickness. How- 
ever much a soldier may be attached to his 
home surroundings. it is a mistake to give 
up and brood , over a separation that is 
inevitable. The soldierwho takes a serir 
sible view of the, situation, keeps up his 
courage and as far as possible keeps in 
good heart by looking on' the sunny side 
of life always fares .the best. One who 
always seems lovvspirited-,, out of heart, 
and cultivates such a feeling receives scant 
sympathy from his comfades^ but one who 
is ; cheerful, apparently happy v/heth^r 
really feeling so or not doe^ not have to 
hunt for kindred spirits to share his hap- 
piness with him. To a soldier in camp 
virtually performing the same round of 
duty every day, life is likely to become 
monotonous, and mopd^iness : or gloom 
intrudes its unwelcome presence, then the 
thing to do is to seek a -v change and look 
for something to divert his attention and 
cause him for the time being to forget his 
real or imaginary trouble. 

Congenial Companions. — In the South- 
ern drmy a soldier could always find con- 
genial company for there was variety to 
choose from. In. the different tents or 



37 
around tli^ camp fires were crowds making" 
merry with music and dancing:, crowds 
spinning yarns or telling^ anecdotes or 
stories, classes singling: sacred songi^s or 
squads eng|-ag:ed in conversation on subjects 
to suit anyone. Nothing to do but to 
make a choice of the place and be enter- 
tained. 

Disputes and Quarrels. ^In camp 
everything;" was not- always harmonious. 
Amongf the boys there were sometimes 
misunderstanding's, which g^ave rise to dis- 
putes or quarrels, occasionally culminat- 
ingf in fisticuffs or fig^hts which often landed 
the participants in the g:"uard house. 

Winter Quarters. — A soldier in the 
Southern army had no abiding" place to 
stay or at least only temporary. In win- 
ter quarters in the dugout, rude cabin, tent, 
or bivouacingi" primitive life was fairly illus- 
trated and it is surprising;" to people accus- 
tomed to the conveniences of life to real- 
ize how few of these conveniences soldiers 
are supplied with. Very often one little 
frying pan or kettle performs its round of 
service for an entire village of cabins or 
"tents, and it is not unusual in camp to hear 
the owner of an implement or vessel cry 
out "come home frying pan" or "com^ 
home coffee pot." The call was a peremp- 
tory order to the borrower to return the 
missing article which was perhaps by the 
careless soldier thrown aside. The remin- 
der generally caused the occupants of the 
tents to institute a search, usually result- 



38 
ing in the return of the missing- article. 
Soldiers' temporary homes exemplified 
their home training-. Some of their places 
were comfortable, neat and attractive, 
while others were just to the reverse. 
Some of the occupants kept themselves 
and their clothingf clean and neat, while 
others were contented to wrap themselves up 
in their filthy rags sometimes infested with 
vermin. There were though police and 
sanitary regulations that all were obliged 
to observe or pay the penalty, and there 
was an etiquette among soldiers that was 
generally observed. Many a soldier would 
forage for something to eat, but would suffer 
with hunger to the extreme lirnit rather 
than appropriate to himself the rations 
issued to another. A soldier who would 
steal the rations of another sacrificed his 
honor and self respect and was regarded 
by his comrades as a sneak thief at home. 

Demoralizing Influences. — While an 
army always carries with it many demoral- 
izing influences, a man can be a soldier 
and a gentleman too, but one who is not 
a gentleman at home, in the army is sure 
to show the cloven foot. In winter quar- 
ters more attention is paid to social features 
than at any other time. Hostilities to a 
great extent cease during the winter though 
sometimes the armies clash. 

Religious Worship. — Sometimes while 
in winter quarters soldiers got together and 
built rude log houses for places of wor- 
ship. Protected from the cold in these 



39 
houses soldiers gathered together usually for 
regular Sunday preaching and sometimes 
prayer meetings were held during the week. 
Perhaps as large a per cent, of soldiers 
attended preaching as people at home who 
had more convenient and comfortable 
places of worship. In summertime soldiers 
usually assembled in a grove to listen to 
sermons preached by their chaplain or vis- 
iting ministers. ; 

In the Southern army occasionally very 
much religious interest was manifested and 
revivals were not unusual. Singing, prayer 
and sometimes shouting were heard in the 
camp. 

CHAPTER VII. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS. 

Difference of Soldiers. — There is as 
much difference in the make up of the 
average soldier as in the average citizen 
at home. It is said that variety is the 
spice of life and in the army we get variety 
with a vengeance, and the spice is some- 
times a little bit peppery. The home train- 
ing and habits as well as the the natural 
disposition of the men will show itself in 
the army, and no amount of diplomacy 
can relegate these acquired or inherent 
qualities to the back ground. It is not 
everyone that can join heartily in a course 
of life that is distasteful, and one who does 
will be very apt to adopt the requirements 
of the new life to the exclusion of long 
established habits and customs, and will 



40 
sometimes overdo himself in exercising" 

uncalled for and unnecessary stunts. 

The life of a soldier in a strenous channel does 

run. 
And the life is by no means a pleasant one; 
The attractions that lure young: men to the field 
Are very seductive and to them many yield. 
When they don the uniform and fall in line 
They surrender their freedom and in servitude are 

confined. 
It requires the decision of character and nerve of 

the brave 
To imperil ones life his country to save. 
This heroism throws aside all fear and dread. 
But is never appreciated till the victim is dead. 
We may eulogize the hero w^ith eloquence, poetry 

and song-, 
But he quietly sleeps while the pageantry is going- 

on, 
The odor of the flowers that we place on the grave 
Is lost to the hero who gave his life his country to 

save. 

The Homesick Soldier. — The timid 
homesick soldier grieves himself to death, 
and if perchance he has to engage in a 
battle he welcomes the friendly missile 
that puts an end to his forlorn condition. 
He thinks of nothing but home and rather 
than drag out, to him, a miserable exist- 
ence in the army surrenders his life freely 
and willingly. The following lines are 
intended to picture the end of one of this 

unfortunate class: 

I am weary to-night and as lonely as can be, 
I am far from my friends that I may never see, 
I am hungry and cold; how can I my time employ? 
I know my good christian mother is praying for 

her boy. 
I on the cold ground must lie down to sleep. 
If mother knew my condition how bitterly she 

would weep; 
In camp I hear stories laughter and song, 
I am longing for home and cannot join. 

They tell me I am home sick perhaps it is true 

I must shake off this despondency or I will never 

pull through 
I am wishing for anything that can be arranged 
Anything, just anything, anything for a change, 
I hear the report of a signal gun. 
Now we may listen for the sound of the old bass 
drum. 

Fall in, fall in is the command to all. 

And now we must answer at once to rollcall; 



41 , 

"Attention Company;"' says the officer in timet 
Forward doublequick is the command that is pass- 
ed down the line. 
I hear the boom of cannon and rattle of smallarms. 
The screams of the wounded show that the battle 

is on, 
I am mortally wounded see how my blood flows, 
1 am sinking t o rest, my troubles are o'er. 
I am thirsty, feel chilly and cold and n.ust sleep, 
Farewell my dear mother, please do not weep. 
] see you yes 'tis you, J knew you would cotue, 
Now take me dear mother atrain to our home. 
As the last word was spoken he drew the last 

breath, 
And no mother there to sooth him in death. 
The poor homesick boy in battle did fall. 
He had listened and answered to the last roUcall. 

Strenuous Soldiers. — Soldiers like 
citizens are sometime extremists, and are 
likely to say and do some very unreason- 
able thingfs. They work themselves up to 
a high pitch of excitement, see but one 
side of a question and are intolerant. 
Soldiers of this class are usually not the 
most reliable and their rashness is liable 
to lead them to do thing^s detrimental to 
the cause they represent. The following- 
lines illustrate this objectionable element. 

Sound the bug:le and beat the drum, 

Fall in line, let the enemy come, 

Let us charg-e the Yankees and let them know 

We can shoot them, down and over their dead 

bodies g-o. 
If they contest the grround we will make them feel 
That there is some virtue in cold steel; 
We will grive up our lives our country to save. 
We will be freemen or till bloody graves. 
Give them no quarter— we ask for none— 
yhoot them down as fast as they come. 

Conservative Soldiers. — The conser- 
vative soldier usually posesses nerve, plucky 
humane feeling and a busy brain. He is 
cool and level headed and is not thrown 
off his guard by any suden changes in his 
surrounding. He is generally a good 
citizen at home, has a sharp lookout for 
the betterment of his home and people and 
carries with him to the army the same 



4-2 

conservatism that distinguishes him as a 
g^ood citizens at home. 

A Quiet industrious citizen enjoying: the comforts 

of home 
Has no disposition a soldier to become, 
Unless called upon by his country's needs and 

demands, 
For the protection of his home and his liberties 

to stand. 
He then takes his place in line in a deliberate way 
And not like a fanatic panting for the fray. 
He leaves at home property and loved ones to face 

an invading: foe. 
Because his country commands him and duty 

requires him to g:o; 
The best element of an army does not fig:ht for 

plunder or fame. 
Because such soldiers possess courag:e, nerve, 

heart and brain. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

CITIZENS VISITING IN CAMP AND THE SICK 
SOLDI ER. 

The Sick Soldier. — Exposure, irregu- 
lar and unwholesome diet, constant chang- 
ing, uncomfortable lodgings and many 
other things caused soldiers to contract 
diseases which often terminated in death. 
Notwithstanding everything was done for 
the poor sick soldier that could be done 
under the circumstances, he missed the 
affectionate attentions of loved ones at 
home. On account of inadequate facilities 
to furnish the necessary means the unfort- 
unate victim was often neglected. 

Surgeon's Call. — While in camp every 
morning at a certain hour Surgeon's call 
was announced by the beating of the drum. 
Sick soldiers in camp who were able to 
walk were required to report to the doctor 
for treatment and to be excused from dut-y. 
Such as were not too sick remained in camp 
and were treated at their tents, and sol- 



43 
diers who were very sick were sent to a 
hospital. Soldiers sick in camp g:enerally 
received scant sympathy and poor atten- 
tion. A soldier though who was known 
to be faithful in the discharge of duty if 
unfortunately became sick was cared for 
by his friends. 

In every command there were soldiers 
who were experts in playing off sick, and 
of course such were not respected. There 
was always some one ready to ridicule the 
sick squad reporting. When the drums 
beat sometimes a wag would cry out. 
"Come up dead" or ''Come up and get 
your Dovers powders or Camphor and 
Opium pills." Soldiers really sick have 
been known to throw away medicine given 
them and take their chances. 

Simple Minded Sick Soldier. — In a 
certain regiment a simple minded soldier 
who was really sick would slowly make 
his way to the doctor's tent and when 
asked ''what is your trouble?" he would 
invariably give the same answer, ''The 
same old complaint, 'Sumption.' " The doc- 
tor would excuse him and he would return co 
his tent, lie down and suffer as much with 
homesickness as with the disease itself. 

Many a poor soldier lost his life in 
camp, in a hospital, on the march or on 
the battlefield, who would have rallied 
from a very slight indisposition that 
developed into a fatal disease could he 
have been transfered to his home. 

Despondent, Sick Soldier. — After 



44 
serving: in the army for about a yea,r a so.l- 
fiier was stricken down with a severe spell 
oi sickness and sent to a hospital to recup- 
erate. Having: a horror for hospital life 
he plead earnestly with the physiciciri in 
charge to recommend the issuing- of a fur- 
lough for him to return home. He was 
informed that he was to weak and must 
wa't until he g:ot able to travel. The next 
day he told the doctor that he was g^etting' 
worse and weaker and plead with him to 
allow him to g:o before the board to meet 
in a few minutes in the hospital, but re- 
ceived no encouragement. A few minutes 
later a niessag^e came summonsing: some 
other sick soldiers in the same room to 
appear before the board. He had about 
given up in despair when another message 
came ordering: him to report to the board 
at once. He obeyed the order without 
delay, and had scarcely g:otten inside of 
the door when the chairman said, "Give 
him fifty days." He returned home one 
beautiful Sunday morning:. A g:ood mother 
saw him slowly approaching- the house 
and seeing: his uniform, it occured to her 
that the strang:er was a soldier and for the 
sake of her own boys in the field slie would 
treat him as well as she could. Being: 
pale, weak, emaciated, reduced almost to 
a skeleton and nearly exhausted, he with 
dii^culty climbed up the steps that lead up 
to the door. As soon as he g:ot inside of 
the door his mother and sister assisted him 
to a chair, thinking- they were helping: 



45 
some poor unfortunate soldier unknown to 
them. Finally they recognized him but 
did not know whether to rejoice or weep 
for it looked very much like his life was 
fast ebbing: out. In a few weeks he was 
well a§:ain and i-eturned to the army. 

Visiting. — Soldiers very much enjoyed 
a visit from friends at home, and a visitor 
after getting in camp and located among 
the friends he was especially visiting was 
regarded as guest of the soldiers and 
treated Vv^ith deference by all he chanced 
to meet. Soldiers were always ready for 
some fun and any incident outside of the 
common broke the monotony and gave 
them a change. Citizens with few excep- 
tions after their first experience enjoyed a 
joke even at their expense. If a citizen 
passed through camp wearing a long tailed 
Coat or plug hat, some one would taunt- 
ingly cry out, "Come down out of that 
coat or come out of that hat, I know you 
are in there I see your legs," and the boys 
would repeat until the poor fellow got 
through and of course the citizen felt 
relieved when the boys quieted down. The 
boys meant no disrespect and the citizens 
generally took it all good naturedly. 

Portly Gentleman. — At one time a 
portly gentleman passed through camp 
and as soon as he came in sight a soldier 
cried out, "Here he comes: and here he 
comes" was repeated along the line. Finally 
the old gentleman chagrined, stopped, 
pulled of? his hat and politely asked the 



46 
boys what he had done, they promptly . 
told him that he had stolen their big: bass' 
drum and swallowed it. The good natur- 
ed old fellow caught on to the joke and 
told the boys that their drum should be 
returned and he was permitted to pass on 
enjoying the laugh as much as any of 
them. 

Lady Visitors.— A lady visiting in the 
camp always had a refining influence upon 
the soldiers who were pleased to have an 
opportunity to treat such a visitor as an 
honored guest. The mere announcement 
that lady visitors were expected would 
cause soldiers to get busy and police the 
camp making everything around the tents 
look tidy and attractive. The conduct 
and conversation of the soldiers were 
always improved by visits of the ladies. 
Unfortunately though their visits were few 
and far between times. There was in the 
valley of Virginia a beautiful young lady 
who acted as a courier for some of the 
officers and was said to sometimes pass 
through the lines where a man would not 
be allowed to go, and to return bringing 
valuable information. She was a graceful 
horseback rider and created a sensation 
when she rode along the lines. 
CHAPTER IX. 

INCIDENTS OF CAMP AND PRISON LIFE. 

Soldiers in Prison. — A soldier belong- 
ing to an army in war times necessarily 
lives a strenuous life, and if unfortunately 
captured by the enemy and has to be 



47 
incarcerated in prison it makes life to the 
averag^e soldier almost unendurable. A 
soldier oblig^ed to obey strictly army rules 
and reg^ulations enforced by officers fig^ht- 
in§: for the same cause he is contending for 
surrenders seeming^ly about all of his 
liberties, but when reduced to the humilia- 
tion of having- a sentinel standing over 
him all of the time to see that he does not 
violate orders given by an enemy reduces 
him to the most abject slavery. Many 
Northern and Southern soldiers were cap- 
tured and placed in prison, and a judicious 
and rapid system of exchange of prisoners 
would have alleviated much suffering 
among these poor fellows. 

Exchange of Prisoners. — The Federal 
authorities perhaps were dilatory in effect- 
ing exchanges because their captured men 
could be replaced by others, and they had 
not only the Northern states but the world 
to draw from, and knew the soldiers taken 
out of line in the Southern army could not 
be replaced with others on account of the 
scarcity of men. 

It is said that everything is fair in war, 
but the peremptory demands of war ought 
not to suppress every vestige of feeling of 
humanity. An experience in prison how- 
ever humiliating that experience may be, 
can not fail to convince anyone that implic- 
it obedience to orders from the powers 
that be is the only safeguard as a shelter 
or protection from unreasonable punish- 
ment. 



48 

Punishment. — Severe punishment such 
as bucking and gfagfgfing-, hang:ing- up by 
the thumbs, walking- the beat carrying- 
heavy loads, sometimes whipping and even 
shooting, to the death practiced in the 
army and prison almost invariably falls 
to the lot of a soldier who wilfully dis- 
obeys known rules and regulations, but 
these punishments are sometimes adminis- 
tered by tyrranical officers, puffed up with 
a little brief authority, to gratify their own 
personal spites and prejudices. Strict adhe- 
rence to discipline will nearly always screen 
the victim from such suffering. In prison 
officers may be exacting, but from their 
arbitrary rulings there is really no appeal. 

Rations. — Much complaint was made 
by soldiers in Southern prisons about the 
scarcity and quality of rations, perhaps 
these complaints in some instances were 
well founded, for the Southern soldier in 
camp or on the march did not have an 
abundant supply. The same complaint 
was made against the Northern prison and 
it was argued that the Federal authorities 
had the means to provide more and had 
no moral right to retaliate upon the South 
for a deficiency in prison that was unavoid- 
able. Many Southern soldiers in Northern 
prisons went to bed of nights and could 
not sleep on account of being hungry. 
Prisoners captured a short time before the 
surrender of Lee, soon heard of the sur- 
render, and of the assassination of Lincoln 
and were frightened by a report circulated 



4g 

in the prison camp that Southern soldiers 
would be kept as hostages and perhaps 
executed in retaliations for the assassina- 
tion of the president. The personal exper- 
ience of soldiers incarcerated in the prisons 
of the late war would make interesting- 
reading to coming generations but perhaps 
it is better to let this part of the history 
pass into oblivion. Contending armies 
engaged in battle would fight to the finish, 
damaging each other in every honorable 
way they could even to extermination, but 
when a soldier surrendered and became a 
prisoner he was treated courteously by his 
captors on either side. A soldier that would 
ofifer an insult or indignity to a prisoner 
was looked upon with contempt and his 
conduct regarded as cowardly by his own 
comrads. 

Camp Life. — To undertake to portray 
' the multiplicity of phases of soldier life as 
exhibited in the Southern army would be 
a herculean task from which the stoutest 
heart, best equipped mind and most exper- 
ienced hand would shrink. It is enough 
for one to record the doings, transactions, 
incidents, and reflections drawn from his- 
torical facts connected with the section 
and army, the one undertaking the task 
was familar with, on account of being 
present to witness much that occurred, 
and in a position to gather items of infor- 
mation from parties who were eye wit- 
nesses. Every day on the march, in camp, 
on the battlefield or in prison was replete 



50 

with thrilling^, interesting:, ludicrous or 
pathetic scenes which were worthy of 
notice and ought to be handed down to 
posterity in a more durable way than by 
tradition. Duty, patriotism and an earn- 
est desire to rescue from oblivion much of 
the war history oug^ht to appeal to the 
few old soldiers now living whose passing 
from the stage of action must necessarily 
cut out forever any chance of a correct 
history. The certainty that they will soon 
be gone ought to be an incentive to induce 
each one to contribute his part. An army 
like our Southern army presents to the 
mind of the curious an inviting field for 
study and investigation. 

In camp the home life of the soldier is 
clearly delineated and by associating in 
the camp soldiers learn more about each 
other than anywhere else. 

Soldier on Inspection. — There was in 
camp a little scrawny fellow that took the 
world easy when things went his way, but 
when he got wrong he was very much 
wrong and was at war with everybody and 
seemed to think that everybody's hand was 
raised against him. He was a faithful, 
loyal soldier and would have died rather 
than play ofif to screen himself from a 
fight. He was always out of clothing, 
rations, money and everything that a sol- 
dier needed and was out with everyone 
who would not divide with him, but was 
liberal and honest and would pay his debts 
if it took his last dollar. At pay day it 



51 
usually took all he received to pay his 
debts and then he was borrowing" again. 
He paid very little attention to cleanliness, 
consequently no one cared to tent or bunk 
with him and he was often by himself 
although socially inclined. At such times 
he would sing songs sometimes a little 
smutty and whistle popular airs. He 
would say some very harsh things about 
officers and some of them very much 
wished for a chance to get even with him. 
On one occasion on inspection, the inspect- 
ing- officer complained that his gun was 
not properly cleaned and ordered him to 
his quarters, putting- on him the punish- 
ment of thirty minutes work cleaning his 
g:un. He returned to his quarters with 
the rest of the company, feeling resentful, 
and with an oath slammed the gun to the 
g-round, consig^ning it with the inspector 
to a region supposed to be hot and heavily 
charg:ed with the odor of sulphur. He 
gloomily sulked for thirty minutes and in 
sheer desperation picked up his gun and 
reported as ordered to the inspector, ex- 
pecting to be sent to the guard house, but 
was surprised when told by the officer that 
his gun looked much better, admonishing: 
him to hereafter do as the others did and 
he would not have tc) do extra work on his 
g^un and pleasantly excused him. 

Recruit on Guard. — On one occasion 
the officer of the guard around camp was 
a young: lieutenant who had a very exalted 
opinion of himself and was g:lad of an 



52 

opportunity to show his authority. One 
of the gfuard was a recruit detailed for the 
'first time to do guard duty. He had fallen 
on the third relief and had lain down to 
rest until his time came. ' Nothing- unusual 
occurred the first two hours, but after the 
second relief was posted the lieutenant 
made his rounds and returned to the camp 
fire and had a big laugh with the old sol- 
diers present. He had taken the gun from 
a timid recruit, had the poor fellow badly 
scared and boastingly said that he would 
take every recruits' gun that belonged to 
the guard. The third relief was placed 
and the recruit stationed at his post, walk- 
ed his beat and kept a sharp lookout, 
especially for the lieutenant. Finally he 
heard the rattle of his swurd as he ap- 
proached an 1 when he got in challenging 
distance, said: "Halt who comes there?" 
The lieutenant answered: "Friend with the 
countersign." The sentinel then said 
"Advance friend and give the countersign." 
The officer corrected him saying "Advance 
friend with the countersign," and was 
briskly walking right up to him. The 
recruit quickly brought his gun to the posi- 
tion of charge bayonets, and again de- 
manded the countersign. He was then 
almost in bayonet reach, gave the coun- 
tersign and expecting to throw the sentinel 
off his guard, made a movement as if to 
pass on but really intended to take his gun. 
The sentinel made him pass around him 
at a distance not in bayonet reach which 



53 

he did without further parley. After he 

had passed he said, *'If you don't mind 

you will get in the guard house." The 

recruit replied saying^, '*I know my duty," 

but was g^etting some thrilling- experience 

while being initiated. 

An Economical Soldier. — A quiet 

careful soldier for several days saved of 

his rations scraps of beef and scrapings of 

flour until he collected enough to make a 

beef pie which was regarded as a luxury 

in camp. 

The pie was nicely made and spicely cooked. 

And the boys at it greedily looked; 

The soldier happy with a broad grin 

Commenced taking the rich pie in. 

Near by in the crowd was a hungry boy looking 

about 
As if he could breed a famine and starve it out; 
He stood the test for a little while 
Then stepped up to the soldier on his face a smile 
Saying, "If you please I would like your pie to 

taste;" 
"Help Yourself" said the soldier with very good 

grace. 
For a second invitation he did not wait 
But commenced eating pie at a rapid rate, 
At last he suddenly quit eating and said with a 

sigh, 
I guess I have taken en:>ugh of your pie. 
"Have some more" said the soldier polite as could 

be; 
The boy said, "Thank you, if you insist I will— it 

tastes good to me," 
The hungrj- boy hung on while others stood by 
And saw the two together finish eating the pie. 

A Soldier's Retort. — On the Mary- 
land march on account of marching for 
many consecutive days, soldiers were 
ragged, dirty and some of them barefooted. 
An army in such a plight does not present 
a very attractive appearance. In the 



54 
column was a brave, faithful soldier always 
ready to figfht to the finish. He had just 
passed through a series of battles and 
looked very much worsted, wearing old 
clothes and limping on account of old 
shoes making his feet sore. The army 
was marching through a town whose 
inhabitants were of very decided Union 
proclivities. A crowd of pretty, well 
dressed ladies were conspicuously standing 
on the sidewalk, indulging in cutting re- 
marks, using such expressions as rebel 
and traitor very freely. One of them 
pointed out this uncouth looking soldier 
saying, "Look at that ragged, dirty rebel." 
He coolly retorted looking her in the eye 
saying, ''Madam, we always put on our 
old clothes when we go out to kill hogs." 
His retort was not very courteous, but it 
put a quietus on the use of any further 
uncomplimentary remarks. The soldiers 
were usually treated very nicely by the 
ladies, even when invading the enemy's 
territory, and were in turn as courteous as 
could be. 

A Boisterous Soldier. — In camp there 
was a boisterous fellow whose early educa. 
tion and training had been very much neg- 
lected, and although illiterate he was fully 
convinced that he was a man of consider- 
able importance. His quaint sayings and 
doings furnished no small amount of 
amusement for the officers and men. He 
did not mean to exaggerate but apparently 
looked at things through magnifying 



55 
glasses. He was ? fearless, brave soldier 
and was never happier than when called 
upon by an officer to perform some task. 
He did not hesitate to go or try to go 
anywhere his commanders ordered or 
requested him to go. On one occasion 
he was detailed as a picket to reconnoiter 
and ascertain some points about the posi- 
tion and strength of the enemy's forces. 
Under the direction of the officer in com- 
mand of the picket line, he with others 
stealthily approached as near as possible 
to the enemy's line to get the desired infor- 
mation. In their eagerness they crossed 
the danger line and were saluted with a 
volley of shot and shell and of course were 
obliged to hastily retreat. The soldier 
came rushing back to camp puflfing and 
blowing, burdened with the weight of 
responsibility that had been entrusted to 
him and hurried up to the colonel's head- 
quarters to report the result of the inves- 
tigation. The colonel listened to him 
attentively while he excitedly gave his 
report and seriously asked his opinion 
about the strength of the enemy's force. 
With forceful gestures and placing strong 
emphasis on his answer he replied: ''About 
two hundred thousand!" The colonel 
amused at his estimate of the enemy's 
strength, and his earnestness in reporting, 
respectfully thanked him and excused him. 
The same soldier incensed at his brother, 
seventeen years old, joining the army 
wished with an oath that the boy would get 



S6 

killed in the very first engfag^ement he got 
in. In a few days the command gfot in a 
figfht and the poor boy was killed. The 
wish was thoug^htlessly made and the soldier 
felt sorry for the fate of his brother. One 
day glibly talking to the boys he pointed 
out a place on his arm and expressed the 
wish that a minnie ball would strike him 
there the next battle he got in and the 
bone would have to be resected so he could 
get on the retired list. In the very next 
fight a minnie ball struck the identical 
place pointed out and the bone had to be 
resected. He could have been placed on 
the retired list, but prefered to remain in 
service. 

Recruit Detailed. — Early one morn- 
ing a recruit who had just been enrolled, 
while he was at breakfast, was informed 
by the sergeant that he was on guard for 
the day and told to report at once to the 
colonel's headquarters. Very much to 
the amusement of the old soldiers he 
replied: "All right, wait till I eat a bite" 
and leisurely finished his breakfast, pre- 
pared for duty and reported to headquar- 
ters without realizing that he had subjected 
himself to the danger of being disciplined 
for not at once reporting. 

It was very embarrassing to recruits 
especially when joining a command already 
in the service. A recruit reporting for 
duty was dazed at the array of stripes, 
bars, stars and wreaths, being assigned to 
a certain regiment was asked if he had any 



^7 
reason to g^ive for being- assigned to any 
special company, stammeringly replied 
that he had a second company in cousin I. 
The boys laughed at his mistake, but the 
officers kindly let him join the company of 
his choice. 

CHAPTER X. 

PICKET LINES, BATTLES AND BATTLE- 
FIELDS. 

PICKET LINES. 
A soldier placed on the picket line 
Has a responsible duty to him assig-ned; 
To perform this duty with judg-ment and skill 
Requires nerve, pluck, brain and deliberate will. 
He protects the main army back in the rear. 
And watches each movement with trembling- and 

fear; 
If the enemy makes a hostile move he does not run 
But warns his friends in the rear by firing- his g-un. 
Then the pickets exchang-e some hasty shots. 
Fall back in line and thing:s g-et hot. 

Picket or Scout. — Different phases of 
soldierjife have been partially explained, 
but the elements that enter into the make 
up or the varied experience of the success- 
ful sharpshooter or scout are beyond 
description. Take the foremost soldier in 
the army whose energy, pluck and daring 
deeds of valor have aided him in forging 
his way to the front, then add all the 
nerve, fearlessness, disregard of danger, 
determination to surmount all obstacles 
and you get only a faint idea of the sturdy 
firm, intrepid picket or scout, looking not 
for trouble but for adventure. History 
often records raids made by such dashing 
leaders as Jackson, Stuart, Morgan or 



58 

leaders of that character with picked men. 
Such leaders select from different com- 
mands men who have passed throug^h firey 
ordeals and have been weighed in the bal- 
ance and found not wanting:. With such 
soldiers wonderful victories have been 
achieved that would have been failures 
v;ith a different class of men. The com- 
mon soldier on the skirmish line however 
courag-eous he may be finds himself facing- 
a problem that calls into play some traits 
of the soldier that he does not possess. 
The picket lines were often very close 
together, sometimes on friendly terms and 
sometimes hostile to each other. 

On The Picket Line. — In the night 
time the lines have been near enough to 
hear pickets in the opposite line talking in 
a low tone, but usually the lines were 
further apart- A very slight demonstra- 
tion on the picket line sometimes pre- 
cipitated a fight The sentinels on the 
lines of the two armies were at one time 
respectively walking their beats on oppo- 
site sides of the Rapahannock river in plain 
view of each other. A sentinel on post 
on one of the lines playfully pointed his 
gun at the sentinel on post opposite him 
on the other side and was at once shot at 
by the sentinel, who took the matter ser- 
iously. There was something doing along 
the line for a little while but the situation 
was soon understood, the excitement sub- 
sided and the sentinels resumed their 
places, walking their beats but refrained 



59 

from quite so much familarity. 

Exchange of Courtesies. — Sentinels 
on post on the picket lines representing 
the opposing^ armies often exchangfed 
courtesies and g"reeting"s and on the sly 
met between the lines, exchang-ed daily 
papers, swapped tobacco for coffee, had a 
pleasant chat with each other and returned 
to their respective posts with the kindliest 
feelingfs. The following: lines demonstrate 
or illustrate the friendly feeling- that pre- 
vailed among: the s oldiers of the two oppos- 
ing: armies. 



"Good morning: Johnnie. Good morning- Pat," 

Come across and we will have a social chat 

We can be friendly loyal and true, 

Althoug-h I wear the errey and you the blue. 

I feel somewhat lonely walking- my beat, 

And to visit you would be quite a treat. 

I will pledge my word upon the honor of a man 

That I will come half way and treat you well as I 

can. 
Your proposal seems very fair to me 
Let us meet in the shade of that old oak tree. 
The sentinels moved forward not in battle array, 
But approached each other in a friendly way. 
In consequence of the vigorous exercise walking- 

their beats 
They were much fatig-ued suffering- with heat 
Johnnie's canteen was full of water cool as could 

be 
Which he shared with Pat in the shade of the tree. 
Pat smiling said it tastes like water from the lake 
Away up North in Michig-an State. 
Then said in my canteen is some of the elixir of life 
That will make us forgret our sorrows and strife. 
Will you not a little bit of it take 
As Paul would say for your stomach sake, 
Johnnie said thank you holding- out an empty tin 

cup. 
Which they filled with Southern water Northern 

sug-ar and other stuff. 
Then of the mixture each one took a sup 
Drinking- out of the same tin cup. 
It tasted pleasant and they repeated the dose 
'Till they both felt g-a^^ and very jocose. 
Finally conversation in a confidential channel did 

run 
They talked of their home life both anxious to 

return, 
Pat said he had a wife and children at his home 

near the lake 
That were anxiously looking: for him wishing- for 

the war to break. 



6o 

Johnnie showed the picture of a sweet looking* 

g-irl, 
That he declared was the sweetest best girl in the 

world, 
Sayin<>- she lives in a cottag-e among- the hills in a 

North Carolina home. 
And will be true to me until I return. 
When this cruel war is over I will be by her side 
And claim a fulfillment of her promise to be my 

bride. 
They were talking: confidentially in this beautiful 

strain, 
Commenting- on their loved ones again and ag-ain. 
Suddenly they heard the report of a sig-nal gfun 
And to their respective posts did quickly run. 
After the signal g-un fired in a very short time 
There was brisk firing all along: the picket line. 
At these two posts firing- was rapid and sharp, 
But the aim was above or below the mark, 
Finally the pickets were ordered to fall back. 
The two waved hands saying-, "Good bye Johnnie, 

Good bye Pat." 

Fearful Experience. — During the 
time of the engag^ements in the wilderness 
a soldier on the picket line one nig^ht had 
a fearful experience. The lines were very 
close and the sentinels on post had strict 
orders to walk their beats, keep a sharp 
lookout and let no one approach or cross 
the line without giving" the countersign. 
It was very dark and the thick underbrush 
made the darkness more dense. . The 
officers making their rounds were embar- 
rassed not knowing how soon they might 
march into the enemy's lines. The senti- 
nel quietly walking his beat heard a sol- 
dier approaching and soon as he came 
near enough in as low a tone as possible 
challenged him and asked for the counter- 
sign. The soldier approaching apparently 
like the soldier on post was imcertain 
whether he was in the presence of a friend 
or an enemy. In an evasive way they 
made inquiries with a view of ascertain- 
ing each others identi'ty. Each one was 



6i 
afraid to fire on the other fearing- he would 
be firing- on a friend instead of an enemy, 
knowing too that the least disturbance 
would precipitate a movement of both 
armies and perhaps cause a battle which 
in the darkness would have been horrible 
to contemplate. Without understanding- 
their true relationship to each other, they 
simultaneously turned and walked in oppo- 
site directions and to this day the soldier 
does not know whether he challeng-ed a 
friend or a foe. 

Burned Bodies of the Dead. — To 
augment the horrors of the Wilderness 
battles a fire broke out immediately fol- 
lowing: the retreat of the enemy in an 
engagement and swept over the battlefield 
before the dead could be moved. The 
picket line reconnoitering moving forward 
to discover the position taken by the 
retreating- army was obliged to run over 
the crisp burned bodies of Yankee soldiers 
lying dead on the field. It was an awful 
sight illustrating the horrors of war. The 
soldiers on the picket line in consequence 
of the heat, smoke and stench were very 
nearly overcome and were driven to the 
extreme necessity of drinking the turbid 
waters of a ditch where dead bodies of 
Yankee soldiers were lying very close. 

Test of Valor. — On the skirmish line 
was the place to test the real powers of 
the soldier. In the Southern army were 
plain unassuming men, without reward or 
the hope of reward, or even realizing that 



62 

they were doing: anything: extraordinary, 
that performed deeds of daring: that 
stamped them as heroes of the hi§:hest 
type. 

Escape of the Enemy. — Near the close 
of the war an inducement was offered by 
the Yankees to dissatisfied Southern sol- 
diers to pass throug:h the lines, and occa- 
sionally a sentinel would leave his post and 
with his g:un and equipments make a dash 
for the lines on the other side. As he 
approached the picket post on the other 
side the Yankee sentinel would call out, 
''Come in Johnnie." A few soldiers 
escaped sometimes under the fire of senti- 
nels at contig:uous posts. While a few 
citizens and soldiers crossed over the line 
but few joined the Northern army. 

Welcome Peace. — Soldiers on both 
sides were tired of war and welcomed the 
treaty of peace, and were g:lad to return to 
their homes and ag:ain engage in the quiet 
peaceful pursuits of life. 

Four years of exposure suffering- and strife 
Ruined many a home and many a life, 
At the end of the war many soldiers brave 
Were peacefully sleeping- in heroes grraves. 

On the Warpath. — The campaigns of 
the civil war were generally vigorously 
prosecuted in warm weather. In the good 
old Summer time soldiers slept on blan- 
kets thrown on the ground with nothing 
but the canopy of heaven as a covering, 
and then if they received marching orders 
the boys had nothing to do but to take up 
their beds and walk at quick step or if 



63 

in case of urgent necessity at double quick 
time. 

Often while sweetly sleeping not dis- 
turbed by the fear of Yankees or anything 
else, the drum would beat and soldiers 
would be aroused from sleep and then 
there would be something doing, and very 
soon the command would be moving. 

Though densely dark with no moon or star light. 
The Southern boys were always ready for fight; 
Although the Yankees did their methods despise, 
They pounced upon them and took them by sur- 
prise. 

Unreliable Soldiers. — On the war- 
path the artful skulker did clever maneu- 
vering worthy of a better cause to sustain 
his position that for plausible reasons he 
ought to be an immune and not 
required to join at the critical time when 
the battle was on. 

Soldiers destitute of principle, morals or brain 
Upon the fair name of an army cast a stain. 
An army made up of figureheads, thugs and bums. 
To an intelligent force is obliged to succumb, 

Fortunately the Southern army did not 
have many of this class, and the few placed 
as they were among soldiers disposed to 
do their duty, were obliged to take their 
places in line. 

Music in Battle. — Before the begin- 
ning of hostilities the average citizens 
were under the impression that soldiers 
marched into battle to the tune of martial 
music and to cheer them on the drums 
would beat and the bands play, but sol- 
diers' first experience convinced them that 
a very different kind of music prevailed. 



64 

It was the terrific sound of bursting: shells, 
the hateful, hissingf, singing- of minnie balls, 
mingled with commands of offtcers occa- 
sionally heard above the din, and the 
screams and groans of wounded and dying 
soldiers crying for help and calling for 
water to quench their burning thirst. 

Instead of selecting a certain soldier in 
the enemy's line as a target to shoot at, 
a soldier merely leveled his gun and fired 
at the line of battle of the enemy, dimly 
seen through the smoke and dust, then 
loaded his gun with another cartridge 
and repeated. In a hotly contested fight 
soldiers often shot fifty rounds of cart- 
ridges and their guns got so hot that they 
could scarcely grasp them with their 
hands. 

Battles. — ^A succession of battles is by 
no means a monotonous repetition. Each 
battle has its peculiar phases. A battle is 
often an exhibition of the artistic skill of 
officers in arranging and maneuvering, and 
of men carefully executing, and may be a 
trial of physical endurance and the well 
trained handling of the weapons of warfare 
used. In any event a battle is a spectacu- 
lar scene imposing and grand. 

Opposing armies, on the warpath, 
require but little provocation to induce 
them to get up a rumpus. Battles are by 
no means precipitated in a uniform cut 
and dried way, but are brought about in 
as many ways as there are battles fought. 
A single shot fired by a picket from his 



65 

post may cause the picket lines to exchange 
shots and fall back, and the commands 
represented by them to settle the disturb- 
ance by engag^ing^ in a battle. Cavalry- 
men sometimes make a raid and start a 
fight into which the entire armies are 
drawn. Cannonading: is a very common 
way to start a light. Sometimes a com- 
mand is surprised by a detachment from 
the opposite army and a battle ensues, and 
sometimes the armies come together 
apparently without any preconcerted plan 
on either side, simultaneously line up and 
get busy, with their work of carnage. 

On the battlefield soldier life is delin- 
eated in its most revolting phase. Two 
contending armies present a spectacle 
grand and awful to contemplate. The 
surging masses of human beings intent on 
each others destruction with the death 
dealing artillery with its terrific roar and 
the more destructive missiles of small 
armies with their hateful hissing sounds, 
together with the deafening cheers of the 
moving armies, and the heart rending 
screams and moans of the wounded and 
dying make the scene agonizing to the 
extreme. Two contending armies engaged 
in battle present to the eye of the beholder 
an indescribable panorama. 

Two contending: armies alig-ned for a figrht 
Present to the eye an imposing: sight. 
When the pickets beg-in to excliang-e their shots. 
The battle is on and soon g-ets hot. 

With terrific noise of destructiA'e shells 
And hissing: minnie balls and soldiers' yells, 

Such noise and confusion make a stunning- din. 
And in the smoke of battle there is acontest to win 



66 

The lines firm and steady throughout their length, 

With stubborn persistence measure their strength. 

Officers and men artful tactics display 

Until one of the lines is forced to give way. 

Charge after charge, Greek meets Greek, 

The two contendingarmies in deadly strife meet. 

The powers of the soldier both sides feel 

As they force their way with steel against steel. 

Or perchance one line or the other overpowered 

gives way, 
And the contest is ended, the victors win the day. 

The vanquished sometimes eager to be freed 
Run for their lives in a disgraceful stampede. 

Battle Fields. — Nature in some places 
has provided spots of ground that answer 
the purpose of belligerent armies where 
one line has the advantage of protection 
or shelter from the onslaughts of the other. 
Where grounds have beeri selected not 
affording safe protection against the invad- 
ing force, soldiers are subjected to hard 
work throwing up breastworks, digging 
intrenchments or placing abatis to entangle 
the advancing arm^ so as to detain it and 
shoot down the soldiers while extricating 
themselves from the entanglement. Every 
device or subterfuge that the fertile brain 
or imagination of man can discover or 
invent is called into requisition to give an 
advantage considered honorable in war. 
Sometimes though contending armies 
meet in open field in plain view of each 
other and fight to the finish and retire from 
the field leaving there a harrowing scene 
of suffering and destruction. Sometimes 
soldiers engage in hand to hand encoun- 
ters, display physical force, power of 
endurance, and their expertness in hand- 
ling the weapons of warfare, sustained by 
indomitable courage and stubborn will 



^7 
power. 

After the Battle. — The heat and 
excitement of the battle having" subsided 
and the smoke cleared away, the battle- 
field presents a harrowing" scene that beg- 
gfars description. The g^rim monster death 
having: done its terrible work leaves its 
impress on the faces of its unfortunate 
victims. Passion, determination and con- 
flictingf emotions plainly stamped on the 
faces of the victims now wrapt in the cold 
embrace of death. 

After the battle is over a survey of the field 

Will melt a heart as hard as steel; 

The wounded with heartrending: screams and 

moans 
And pittiful calls for loved ones at home, 

Appeal to the sympathies causing one to grrieve. 
On account of being- powerless the victims to 
relieve, 

A quiet look at the faces of the dead 
Fills ones soul with horror and dread. 



CHAPTER XI. 

FOURTEENTH REGIMENT NORTH CAROLINA 

INFANTRY AND GENERAL OFFICERS 

OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VA. 

Fourteenth N. C. Regiment. — 

The beginning: of the war was to some a surprise, 
But the old Fourteenth at once organized; 

The regiment marched to the front along with the 

first. 
And was on the front line when shel'ls began to 

burst. 

It was composed of ten companies of stalwart men. 
Who were determined with the enemy to contend; 

At Seven Pines and battles below Richmond to 

Malvern Hill, 
The regiment fought with a determined will. 
Many of the men gallant and brave 
On these battle fields filled bloody graves, 

Receiving recruits the regiment again took a 
start. 

Displaying courage and endurance on the Mary- 
land march. 



68 

Near Sharpsburg- the reg-iment was in an old road 

aliqrned, 
And foug-ht the Yankees advancing: in three lines; 
The boys were conspicuous at the Wilderness, 

Chancellorsville and Mine Run 
And at Spotsylvania and Gettysburg handled their 

guns, 

In the thickest of the fight the regiment would be, 
Fought to the finish and surrendered with Lee, 

While not pretending: to write the his- 
tory of any special command, the writer 
belong-ed to Co. B. 14th Regiment N. C. 
Infantry which accounts for a casual refer- 
ence to tiie reg-iment in these sketches. 
The reg-iment was composed of the follow- 
ing: companies — all North Carolinians: 
Company A, Halifax County 

B, Davidson 

C, Anson 

D, Cleveland 

E, Wake 

F, Buncombe 

G, Rockingham 
H, Stanley 

I, Davidson 
*• - K, Wake 
Company Officers — Company B, of 
which I was a member was made up at 
Thomasville and the immediate surround- 
ing country. The company was at first 
commanded by Capt. Miller, but when 
the company reorganized J. H. Lambeth 
was elected captain, S. Hepler first lieuten- 
ant, C. P. Jones second lieutenant and 
Alex Leach third lieutenant. Captain 
Lambeth was promoted to the position of 
major and served in that capacity, until 
the close of the war. Lieutenant Hepler 
was wounded at Sharpsburg, lest an arm 



69 

and was not with the company very much 
afterward. To fill a vacancy M. H. Cross 
was elected lieutenant. Lieutenant Jones 
was killed in battle, Lieutenant Leach's 
health failed in consequence of which he 
was absent a great deal of the time and 
the command of the company devolved 
upon Lieutenant Cross. Neither of the 
lieutenants were promoted to the captaincy. 
The regiment was at first commanded by 
Colonel Daniel, Lieutenant Colonel Love- 
joy, Major Faison and Adjutant Seaton 
Gales. When the regiment reorganized 
Roberts was elected colonel, Bennett 
lieutenant colonel, Dixon major, and 
Marshall adjutant. Roberts and Dixon 
died and Bennett became colonel, Johnson 
lieutenant colonel and J. H. Lambeth 
major. Rev. Powers was chaplain all the 
time. The 2nd, 4th, 14th, 30th and ist 
and 3rd consolidated — all N. C. regiments 
composed a brigade commanded by Pem- 
berton, Colston, Anderson, Ramseur and 
Cox consecutively. The brigade belonged 
to a Division, commanded by D. H. Hill, 
Rhodes and Grimes consecutively. The 
regiment served through the war and was 
mider the invincible Jackson until his 
death and was proud of the distinction of 
being in an army commanded by the im- 
mortal Lee. 

Unique Characters. — In every com- 
mand there are unique characters, and the 
Fourteenth was by no means an exception 
to the general rule, for in the regiment 



70 

were members noted for varied peculiarities 
or eccentricities. Surviving: soldiers of 
the regiment will pleasantly remember 
Webb of Co. A and Crow of Co. K, Char- 
lie Hall of Co. B and Lee of Co. G. 

There were two great big fellows in the 
regiment that did not look hungry but a 
double daily ration had no charms for 
them. Their names were Sergeant Rawly 
of Co. Gand Lieutenant Mitchell of Co.E. 

A Brave Soldier. — At South Moun- 
tain the regiment was exposed to a shower 
of minnie balls, and was located at the 
foot of a hill in a thicket of sprouts, weeds 
and briers. A call was made for a volun- 
teer to carry a message through the thick 
underbrush. In Co. B was an obscure 
soldier named Morgan considered a kind 
of a go easy good for nothing kind of a 
fellow, although barefooted he at once 
responded and stepped to the front to per- 
form the task without considering it to be 
a perilous brave undertaking. He was 
sustained by nerve and pluck that stamped 
him as a brave man worthy of admiration. 

Color Bearer. — Bennett Russell color 
bearer of the regiment, who carried the 
colors in many hard fought battles, though 
not a commissioned officer deserves honor- 
able mention. Although illiterate, unas- 
suming in manners, plain and not pre- 
posessing in appearance. 
He was noble, generous and brave. 
And imperiled his life his country to save. 

Amusing Scenes. — The wit or humorist 



71 
was there to contribute his enlivening: 
influence to vary the sometimes sombre or 
gfloomy conditions exisitingf in the camp. 
Sometimes ludicrous incidents would occur 
to excite laughter and amusement even 
when dangler was threateningly near. 
Imagine soldiers running for life to keep 
from being captured and thinking them- 
selves out of danger, swearing that they 
would not move another inch if the entire 
Yankee army pounced down upon them, 
and a few shells burst throwing dirt upon 
them and hissing singing minnie balls like 
swarms of bees humming uncomfortably 
near them, then think how soon they for- 
get their decided resolution tO discontinue 
running, start again and fairly burn the 
wind until again out of harms way. To 
one looking on, it is amusing to see the 
movements and afterwards to hear their 
quaint sayings. To the participants it is 
anything else but funny, but after it is all 
over they laugh about it and joke and jeer 
each other unmercifully. 

In the campaign in the valley the Rebels 
ran the Yankees many a time, and occa- 
sionally their speed was very much accele- 
rated by their being in front and the Yan- 
kees keeping up close in the rear, and 
treating them to volleys of shot and shell. 

On the Campaign. — The regiment was 
conspicuous in the battles of Williamsburg, 
Seven Pines, through the battles below 
Richmond to Malvern Hill. After com- 
ing out of this strenuous campaign the 



72 

regfiment very much worsted by exposure, 
disease and loss of killed, wounded and 
missing: in battle went into camp near 
Richmond and rested awhile. Many of itg 
gallant officers and men had fallen to rise 
no more, and others were sick or wounded 
in the hospitals or at home . on furlough. 
Recruits came to take the places of the 
absent ones, and very soon the regiment 
with the command started on the famous 
march to Maryland. The regiment passed 
through the battlefield of the second 
Manassas fight and a gruesome, sickening 
sight presented itself. 

Distressing Scenes. — Dead bodies of 
Yankee soldiers were strewn thickly over 
the field, that in the hasty retreat of the 
Yankee army and pursuit of the Southern 
forces, were left unburied on the field. The 
boys endured exposures and hardships 
galore and many of them had to succumb. 
It was necessary to enforce rigid discipline 
which under the circumstances was a diffi- 
cult matter. Many hardships had to be 
endured that were apparently unfair and 
uncalled for but the demands of war are 
imperative and must be submitted to. Sol- 
diers in the ranks and officers in conmiand 
were compelled to witness distressing 
scenes, and were powerless to render assis- 
tance to the suiifering and dying. On the 
march soldiers exhausted fell out of ranks 
sometimes when there were no facilities to 
provide for them, were obliged to take 
their chances and often lost their lives for 



73 
want of attention. On the battlefield the 
surg^ingf masses intent on the destruction 
of each other had no time to give to per- 
sonal friends however near and dear they 
might be. Distressing scenes were wit- 
nessed and assistance given when possible 
to do so. Sometimes near friends or even 
brothers were shot down in battle and the 
demands so urgent to move forward that 
the poor dying comrade had to die with- 
out being permitted to listen to the voice 
of a friend to comfort him while passing 
to the unknown land. On two occasions 
the Fourteenth was called out to witness 
the execution of some poor soldiers 
belonging to the army pay the penalty of 
desertion. It is heartrending to see a com- 
rade shot down in the heat of battle, but 
it is a more distressing scene to see a sol- 
dier shot at the stake. 

Battles Engaged In. — At Sharpsburg 
the regiment was aligned in an old road 
near the village and fought the Yankees 
advancing in three lines of battle. The 
regiment was cut to pieces and many were 
killed, wounded or missing. The regiment 
also figured conspicuously in the battles 
of Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancel- 
lorsville, Wilderness, Hatchers Run, Wm- 
chester, Mine Run, Cedar Creek and many 
other battles and skirmishes down to the 
surrender at Apomattox. 

Victory and Defeat. — At Cedar Creek 
the Fourteenth in one day experienced the 
■exultation of victory and the humiliation 



74 
cf defeat. The following lines give a par- 
tial description of the exciting transactions 
of the day: 

Just after dark an order came 
To fall in line and answer to our names; 
An order then came to move without delay. 
And very soon we were marching- on the way. 
Around the hill our line "was strung. 
There was no blowing- of the fife or beating: of the 
drum, 

An order in a whisper came down the line 
That no one must talk even in a whisper at any 
time. 

We marched all nig-ht with scarcely a stop 
bo still we could have heard a pencil drop; 
We were marching- on to a certain doom, 
Destined to eng-ag-e in a battle very soon. 

Far to the rig-ht we heard the report of a sig-nal g-un 
And to the left the report of unother one, 

In front we saw the flash and heard the report of 

a gun, 
And was ordered to move forward in a run. 
Forward double quick march was the cry, 
And the surprised Yankees did swiftly fly; 

Thej^ were in their tents their breakfasts cooking 
And were by no means for the Rebels looking; 

They left meat and vegetables cooking in the pot 
And cans of coffee smoking hot. 

When they heard the familiar Rebel Yell 
There was not one left the tale to tell; 

We captured wagon trains, ammunition and men. 
Drove prisoners to the rear and put them in a pen. 

It was fun to see the Yankees run. 
And we hurried them on by firing our guns. 
We emptied our cartridge boxes of fifty rounds; 
The continued firing made the hills resound, 
We ran the Yankees* down and pulled them in, 
And the way we captured prisoners was a sin, 
It is said it is a long lane that has no turning, 
And we finally got to the end of our journey, 
The enemy was reenforced by another command. 
Then we turned and run and raised the sand. 
For five lone miles under shot and shell 
For real swift running we made it tell, 
Finally the sun went down and darkness came 

And the Yankees ceased their fiery flame. 

The armies scattered, ran to and fro, 

Not knowino- how or where to go, 

The enemy halted in the darkness of the night 

And our scattered forces continued the flight. 

In our hasty retreat we lost in our flight 

All we had gained in the morning fight. 

The surprise was successful and our victory com- 
plete, 

If we had been able the prisoners guns and wagon 
trains to keep. 

Fortunes are made and lost in a day. 

And battles sometimes won and lost in the same 
lime and way. 

After the battle was over \ve had cause to weep, 

And regretted meeting the enemy at Cedar Creek- 



75 

Decisive Battle. — At Gettysburg: per- 
haps a battle which was the turning: point 
of the war, the elements seemed to be a 
lurid flame of fire, so desperate was the 
conflict and so hot and appalling: the work 
of death and destruction. The machinery 
of warfare seemed to be turned loose and 
its operators proud of the distinction of 
handling: it in such an efifective manner, 
enabling: it to do its deadly work. 

The Enemy Surprised. — One sultry 
morning: marching orders were received 
and the Fourteenth in column with other 
portions of the command, for hours march- 
ed at quicktime, and sometimes double- 
quicking:. Men overcome with heat 
fainted by the wayside, but positive orders 
to continue the march were rig:idly en- 
forced. Late in the evening: the enemy 
was surprised and attacked in the rear and 
a fig:ht ensued beg:inning: the Chancellors- 
ville eng:ag:ements. 

Battle at Chancellorsville. — After 
dark Jackson and his staff rode through a 
piece of wgods and was fired upon by his 
own men, obeying: his own orders, receiv- 
ing: a wound which was the indirect cause 
of his death. The soldiers in the reg:iment 
distinctly heard the volley that caused the 
death of their loved commander. It is said 
that Lee seriously remarked upon the death 
of Jackson that it was a loss of his rig:ht 
arm. When the fatal shot was fired and 
■Jackson received the death blow, the hopes 
of the Confederacy be^an to wane. Gen- 



76 

eral Stewart was put in command in Jack- 
son's place and the next day a hotly con- 
tested battle was fought. After being" 
engaged in the battle several hours we 
were relieved and orderly falling back. 
The general came along and thinking there 
was a stampede ordered the forces bade to 
the front. Col. Bennett said to him, 
'*Gen. Stewart we have been relieved by 
the Stonewall brigade'' adding "I have 
the most gallant regiment in the field." 
The general then said, "I beg ten thousand 
pardons" and moved on leaving the im- 
pression on the minds of the soldiers that 
he was a chivalrous brave commander. 
After we had gotten to the foot of the hill 
Gen. Ramseur undertook to congratulate 
the men but was so overcome with emotion 
that he said he could not talk. Col. Ben- 
nett came to the rescue saying "lean talk'' 
and in a stentorian tone began to praise 
the men. He was cheered to the echo and 
the surrounding hills and valleys resounded 
with the Rebel Yell. 

At Apomattox. — The gallant Fourtenth 
was a fighting regiment and fought to the 
finish. At Apomattox though it did not 
retain the appearance of its former glory. 
But few of the tried and true were left to 
see for the last time the immortal Lee and 
with tears in their eyes hear his farewell 
address. The regiment broke ranks and 
turned their faces southward glad to return 
to their homes and loved ones, but sad at 
the thought of the humiliation of defeat 



^77 
and uncertain about how they would be 
treated by their conquerors. 

General Officers. — The short sketch 
of the few officers of the army of Northern 
Virg^inia who were distinguished for their 
generalship, heroism and bravery could be 
continued by the addition of other names 
equally as brave and equally as famous. 
Scores of them who wore the stars or bars 
did many acts of daring and gained many 
victories by their good judgment, cool and 
deliberate maneuvering, but we must not 
forget the rank and file for upon the pri- 
vate soldiers the heavy burden fell, and 
they usually responded in a manner en- 
tirely satisfactory. Honor is due to the 
brave men in the ranks who were prompted 
by duty alone and who fought so gallantly 
without reward or the hope of reward. 

General Cox was a young man and as 
an officer presented a fine appearance, 
dressed up to date and one rot familiar 
with his ways would come to the conclu- 
sion that he was vain or selfconceited, but 
seeing him in the performance of duty in 
his every day soldier life would dispel any 
such illusion. He set an example of neat- 
ness, and his military bearing was not put 
on but natural. His nature and disposi- 
tion were generous, and he looked after 
the welfare of the men under him and was 
not tyranical in his discipline. When the 
time came for action he did not think of 
soiling his clothes but entered into the 
thickest of the fight and unwaveringly 



78 
Stayed with his command and foug^ht to 
the finish. He survived the war and has 
figured conspicuously in the management 
of affairs to perpetuate good government 
and the enforcement of the law as a just 
judge on the bench. 

General Grimes by the casual obser- 
ver, would not have been selected from a 
crowd of officers as a man of extraordinary 
ability or above the average as a military 
commander. Though plain and unassum- 
ing he was a soldier of fighting proclivities 
and his shrill, clear, fine voice heard above 
the din common in the beginning of an 
engagement was an inspiration to his men. 
He was the hero of many battles and lived 
to witness the closing scenes of the war 
and near his home was the victim of 
assassination from ambush by parties 
lying concealed waiting for him. 

General Ramsuer was impetuous, 
impatient, aggressive and by some regard- 
ed as foolhardy. If fighting was going on 
he was not satisfied if he was not permitted 
to take a hand. He has been known to 
ride between our own and the enemy's 
picket lines apparently insensible of danger^ 
and at a time too when a fight was 
momentarily expected. He was known 
and acknowledged as a fighter and his 
men followed him without questioning the 
expediency of his movements. He was 
tender hearted to the extreme and in the 
presence of his men has been seen to break 
down and weep like a child, verifying the 



79 
old adag-e that "The brave are tender- 
hearted/' 

General Rodes was an officer hav- 
ing" a commanding^ appearance. Decision 
of character was plainly depicted upon his 
countenance. It is often said that a man's 
face is an index to his character. The 
casual observer looking into the face of 
the general could not fail to see stamped 
there a plain indication of a g-enerous dis- 
position. His cordial and lovable disposi- 
tion drew men to him, and his deportment 
in battle stamped him as a fearless brave 
soldier. Cool and collected as he Vvas in 
battle, in the engag'ement in which he was 
killed just before he was slain he seemed 
to be excited as if he had a premonition 
of his impending doom, but his sun set 
in a halo, of g'lory and his name will go 
down in history as a hero. 

General D. H. Hill, was a brave com- 
mander, had a tender regard for the welfare 
of his men and being" of a humane disposi- 
tion looked after minor details that the 
most of oiificers of his rank left entirely to 
su'^ordinates. At one time on a march he 
discovered that many of the men were 
barefooted and their feet sore — some of 
them bleeding:. He was powerless to fur- 
nish shoes and issued an order for the sol- 
diers to make shoes out of rawhides. The 
order was given with a view of ameliorat- 
ing the condition of the men and really 
did to some extent, but was not received 
by the men in the same spirit it was given 



So 
and they in ridicule named him "Raw- 
hide." He was held in high esteem by 
his men, and they admired his fighting- 
qualities. In battle he was firm as an 
unshaken rock, and the boys said that not 
a muscle would quiver even when shells 
were bursting- around him and bullets were 
cutting: close. 

General A. P. Hill was a peer of the 
bravest and most successful g-eneral ofificers 
of his rank who were co-workers with him 
in the army of Northern Virginia. He 
commanded with judg-ment; maneuvered 
and executed with skill and proved himself 
worthy of the position he occupied. In 
the hour of danger he did not waver and 
in the heat of battle stood firmly with his 
men. 

General Ewell was a little, scrawny, 
weakly looking fellow but a fighter with 
a reputation. He succeeded Jackson in 
command and while he did not claim to 
be his equal. The mantle of the famous 
general fell upon a worthy one, who did 
not degrade but kept the command up to 
a respectable standard. In an engagement 
when perhaps many a commanding officer 
would have been far enough to the rear to 
have protected himself, he was wounded 
and in consequence of the wound had to 
submit to an operation and had his leg 
amputated, but did not make his misfor- 
tune an excuse to retire from service, but 
remained with his command and fought to 
the finish. 



8i 

General Early was regarded as rather 
eccentric, and acquired a reputation for 
g^ainingf many battles and losing out in the 
end. After bagging- his game he seemed 
not to have the ability to retain it. On 
one occasion after driving the Yankees 
unceremoniously from their position he 
passed along and familiarly said to the 
soldiers, **Boys you walloped it to 'em 
this time.'* For many weeks he kept his 
command on the runjeither in hot pursuit 
of the Yankees or running in a stampede 
from them. He kept the Yankees in con- 
stant dread and did!' some very effective 
work as a commanding officer. 

General Stuart was a dashy cavalry 
general and when he went on the warpath 
there was something doing. He with other 
cavalry officers, such as Hampton, Mosby, 
Imboden and others terrorized the Yankees 
and often made them hit the grit and burn 
the wind to get out of the way. The 
cavalry force under liis leadership very 
materially assisted the main army in 
successfully carrying out its plans on 
the campaign. General Stuart took 
Jackson's place at Chancellorsville, and 
successfully prosecuted the engagement 
that occurred the day after Jackson's 
unfortunate adventure while riding along 
the lines, resulting in his serious wound 
that disabled him and finally caused his 
death. He was a fine looking man and a 
gallant commanding ofilicer and lost his 
life in a cavalry engagement at the Yellow 



82 

Tavern. 

GENEi-iAL LoNGSTREET held 3. high posi' 
tion among: the officers of the army, and 
in its counsels his fine military mind exert- 
ed an influence towards shaping^ ag^g^ressive 
campaigns. His command did some hard 
and effective fighting. Wherever the tramp 
of the soldiers in his corps was heard, 
Southern soldiers were encouraged and the 
Federal troops terror stricken. The Yan- 
kees learned of his name and fame and 
feared him accordingly. 

General Breckenridge was tall sym- 
metrical and impressed one in his presence 
with his attractive personality. He be- 
longed to a leading Kentucky family and 
was in the war prompted by a sense of 
duty and loyaty to his country. He was 
a leading factor in the counsels of the 
officers in shaping the character of the 
military movements. 

General Gordon was a fair type of the 
Southern gentleman, [and his very appear- 
ance indicated soldier qualities of a high 
order. He was an educated man and his 
literary attainments gave him prominence 
in the counsels of war held by the general 
officers. * In prosecuting military move- 
ments he called into requisicion his fine 
military talent, experience, good judgment 
and discretion. After the war he became 
distinguished for his eloquence and became 
a fine platform lecturer. 

General Wheeler, better known as 
fighting Jo Wheeler, a good portion of the 



83 
time had his headquarters in his saddle, 
and his command was expert horseback 
riders. With his boys he was in his proper 
element when chastising: the Yankees. It 
was said that he slipped upon their blind 
side and it seemed that all sides were blind 
for he was liable to attack them from any 
point of the compass, and his raids were a 
g^reat help to the main army. His com- 
mand returning home after the surrender 
was followed by a g"ang: of looters that 
stole horses and committed other depreda- 
tions claiming- to be Wheeler's men. Gen- 
eral Wheeler figured conspicuously in the 
Spanish-Cuban w^r retaining in his old 
age his fire and courage as a soldier. 

General Jackson was a military chief- 
tain whose equal in his special line or plan 
of conducting a campaign could not be 
found in the army. He never tried to 
evade a battle when it was in the interest 
of the cause he represented to fight, but by 
his dashing movements often accomplished 
by strategy victories that could not have 
been achieved in battle. He was loved by 
officers and men in his command, and they 
placed implicit confidence in him. His 
name and presence cheered them on to 
deeds of valor, and the mere rumor in the 
camp of the enemy that Jackson was com- 
ing made officers and soldiers tremble in 
their boots. They feared him as a foe, but 
respected him for his clever management, 
and admired him for his heroism and won- 
derful achievements. 



84 

The n-ime of the illustrious Jackson should have a 

place 
In tJie liistory of heroes on the bri<?htest pag:e. 
He was a born commander and leader of men, 
A terror to iiis enemies— a beacon light to his 

friends. 
On the march or in battle he moved without fear 
Ot the world's {^re.'itest g-enerals he was a peer; 
His artful maneuvering and quick movements did 

save 
The live of many a soldier brave. 
Passing- down the line soldiers always could tell 
Tliat Jackson was coming by the Rebel .veil; 
His name and heroism gave hope to the Nation, 
And his presence among the soldiers caused an 

ovation. 
When the fatal shot was fired that struck the hero 

down. 
The cause of Southern independence waned and 

gloom did abound; 
The sad news of his wound gave to Lee alarm. 
And he mournfully said, I have lost my right arm. 

General Robert E. Lee, commander 
of the army of Northern Virginia, was in 
many respects superior to any military 
chieftain the world has ever produced. He 
was a patriot, statesman, scholar, military 
hero and consecrated christian gentleman. 
On one occasion a portion of the Southern 
army was facing: the enemy in full view; of 
tlie line of battle. Dark threatening^ clouds 
were near and pelting: hailstones and fleaks 
of SHOW, were beg-inning: to fall. The sol- 
diers were shivering: with cold, obeying" 
orders issued not to move from their posi- 
tion or l)uild any fires. The g:eneral in a 
soft tender voice so characteristic of the 
m;in ordered the officers to allow the sol- 
diers to build temporary shelters with pine 
JM-ush to shelter them from the hail and 
snow and to build fires. In a very short 
time they were protected from the storm 
and fairly comfortable by the blazing: fire 
prepared. He lead the g:rand army to vic- 
tory in battles, and when at last overpow- 



8s 

ered by superior numbers he was obliged 
to surrender, he went down not in disgrace 
but glorious in defeat, and when history 
gives a true record comparing him with 
the greatest of military heroes his name 
.will be emblazoned on the brightest page 
outshining them all. 

In our country's broad arena no generation ever 

will see 

A military chieftain— an equal of the immortal 
Lee; 

He could have commanded armies backed by 

wealth and display. 
And have been recognized as the greatest general 

of the day. 

While over that army the Stars and Stripes waved 
He could have commanded soldiers gallant and 
brave, 

But he sacrificpd wealth, position and fame. 
And to the rescue ot his native home gallantly 
came. 

In vict iry he was magnanimous heroic and great, 
But his luster shined more brilliantly in defeat. 

Among the world's greatest generals he stands at 

the head. 
The greatest military chieftain living or dead. 

When his sun went down there was sorrow and 
gloom 

Among the inmates of every Southern home; 

He commanded an army of soldiers without a peer_ 

And to every Southern soldier his memory is dear. 

Recapitulation. — The short sketch of 
the general officers named closes the 
Reminiscences of the war period. There 
may be some discrepancies and possibly 
some errors as everything noticed is quoted 
from memory, and a lapse of more than 
forty years ought to be accepted as a valid 
excuse for any mistakes. The narrative is 
claimed to be true, and the object of the 
writer has been to deal fairly and impar- 
tially with all classes referred to. 

These general officers leaders in their time. 
With gallant subordinates all along the line^ 
Commanded an army that was complete. 
Glorious in victory and defeat. 



86 

The world never saw and there never will be 

An army to equal the one commanded by Jackson 

and Lee, 
Soldiers in the ranks from the best families came. 
And foug-ht for their country and not for a name; 

At home they left property, mothers, sisters, sweet- 
hearts and wives 
To protect these treasures they imperiled their 

lives 
The Union was preserved not alone by Union men. 
But by Aliens that came across the cause to defend. 
The Stars and Bars folded trailed in the dust. 
And the Stars and Stripes waved as it waved at 

first. 
The Southern army overpowed in the strug-g-le lost 

out. 
But left to Southern people an inheritance of 

which they are proud. 
Now all sections of our country fight under one 

flag:. 
And when the Southern boy is called for he does 

not lag:. 
We love our country no less than before. 
But flg:ht for it because we love the Sunny South 

more. 



CHAPTER XII. 

RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 

Surrender of Lee. — On the ninth day 
of April 1865 at Apomattox Virg^inia Gen- 
eral Lee surrendered to General Grant, 
after four years strug^gle in perhaps the 
most awful war of modern times. Only 
a remnant of the once powerful and vigfor- 
ous army was left to share in the humilia- 
tion. A large proportion of the g-allant 
soldiers of the army over which the 
immortal Lee was the commander had 
fallen to rise no more, and the few remain- 
ing" were broken down by the continued 
hardships of the four years struggle. Being 
overpowered they humbly submitted to 
the inevitable and in good faith accepted 
the terms given by their conquerors and 
returned to their homes, thousands of which 



87 
were broken up, and thousands more in 
mourning' for loved ones who had perished 
in the war. 

Right to Secede. — The (question as to 
whether a State had a right to secede from 
the General Government could not be set- 
tled by arbitration or legislation, and had 
been submitted to the arbitriment of the 
sword and decided in the negative. The 
Federal government through its civil repre- 
sentatives and military hosts claimed and 
proclaimed a State had no right to secede. 
An overwhelming" majority of the people 
north of Mason and Dixon's line embraced 
this theory. Southern people embraced 
the opinion that States had the inalleniable 
rigfht to rebel ag:ainst the goverment, if 
the rig^hts vouchsafed to said states by 
the constitution were infringed upon. After 
four years of civil war unparalleled for its 
severity and extent of loss of life and pro- 
perty, the issue was settled in favor of the 
Northern idea, and Southern soldiers 
accepted their parole, took the oath of 
alleg^iance to the government of the United 
States in good faith, and returned home 
to take up life again as peaceable, loyal 
citizens. 

Sherman's March to the Sea.— A few 
days previous and subsequent to the sur- 
render of Lee, Johnson with his army was 
retreating- towards North Carolina, with 
Sherman in hot pursuit, on his famous 
march to the sea. General Sherman, 
talented, as he was, holding a key to the 



88 

situation, must have known that the end 
of the so called rebellion was near at hand, 
but leading his Vandal hosts with pine 
torch in hand, careless with fire, seemed to 
take a fiendish pleasure listening to the 
crackling conflagrations and witnessing 
the lurid sheets of flame as it swallowed up 
barns full of feed and stock and palaces, 
cottages and all kinds of residences with 
the accumulation of the lifetime of the 
occupants, and the inmates themselves, 
helpless women and children driven out 
of doors, groping their way through the 
dense smoke and darkness, hurried on with 
agonizing fear and dread of personal harm 
t at was terrible beyond description. A 
man of intelligence raised in a land of 
Bibles under christian influence that could 
gloat over such orgies is more in need of 
missionary influence than the inhabitants 
of Greenland's icy mountain or India's 
coral strand. 

Home Coming of Soldiers- — For sev- 
eral weeks after the surrender of Lee and 
Johnson, the soldiers continued to return 
to their homes and returning divested 
themselves of their army clothes worn, 
dirty and sometimes infested with vermin 
sad reminders of camp and prison life. 
The old clothes were burned and the sol- 
diers dressed in citizens clothes that had 
been laid aside four years before, or in new 
clothes that thoughtful mothers, sisters or 
wives had prepared in anticipation of their 
home coming. The soldiers were wel- 



89 
corned home by their people who rejoiced 
to see them return. On some occasions 
they were met b}- mothers, sisters or wives 
who had passed through four years of g'reat 
tribulation, and sometimes by hung^ry, 
rag"ged children, made more than orphans 
by the war. To welcome the return of the 
soldiers. Nature seemed to smile in 
extravagant luxuriance. Flowers were 
blooming, growing crops were springing 
up in a prolific, growth, promising a boun- 
tiful harvest. The soldiers became citizens 
and relieved women and children of bur- 
dens of farm work that their forced absence 
had put upon them, and under the changed 
condition of affairs everything was in a 
fair way to resume normal conditions. 

Assassination of Lincoln. — Very 
soon after the surrender of Lee, Abraham 
Lincoln, president of the United States, 
was assassinated and Southern people 
deplored the sad event. Although the 
leaders and common people of the South 
had nothing to do with the awful crime, it 
had a tendency to intensify the already 
bitter feeling of the radical element North ^ 
and this element began to clamor for 
revenge, demanding the punishment of 
innocent people of the South for a crime 
for which they were in no way responsible 
but entirely innocent. If Lincoln had not 
have been removed by death from the pres- 
idency and could have exerted an influ- 
ence that the promptings of his really gen- 
erous nature would have caused him to 



QO 

endeavor to use, it would have been a 
boon to the downtrodden people of the 
Southland,. The average soldier was dis- 
posed to g^et to work and really did g^et to 
work with an honest endeavor to repair 
the damagfe done, and to build up the 
waste places. 

Federal Officers. — The rulers or 
representatives of the g"eneral government 
could have immortalize themselves and 
their names would have gone down in his- 
tory as benefactors, but instead they took 
a dififerent view of the situation and appar- 
ently actuated b}^ a revengeful spirit heaped 
up burdens that made the suffering people 
cry out in agony "How long will this 
state of affairs exist." 

Conduct of Yankee Soldiers. — Early 
in the Spring of 1865 the war was rapidly 
coming to a close and the Yankee soldiers 
were invading every nook and corner. 
Some of them acted very gentlemanly and 
did what they could to protect private 
property, but others committed depreda- 
tions, terrified the people and stole or 
impressed, as they called it, the most of 
the good horses, sometimes leaving worn 
out old scrubby plugs for farmers to make 
their crops with, and then other gangs 
would come along and take these leaving 
farmers without horses. In the Summer 
the army horses were corralled at different 
places, sold at auction to the highest bid- 
der and brought from one to fifty dollars 
a piece. In this way they got about all 



91 
the money the citizens had managed to get 
hold of. 

Looters Follow Yankee Army. — In 
the rear of the Yankee army there followed 
a motley gang of looters that were ig"no- 
rant, vicious and some of them penitentiary 
convicts. This despicable class, that 
would not have been invited into the 
homes of respectable people where they 
lived, set themselves up as leaders to plun- 
der, steal and overawe the good citizens 
of the desolated country. 

Provisional Government. — The South- 
ern people soon learned to their sorrow 
that if a state did not have a right to 
secede that the states which were in 
rebellion were not considered in the union. 
Provisional Governments were forced upon 
the Southern States and in North Carolina 
W. W. Holden, who perhaps had done 
more to bring about, foster and encourage 
the secession of the state than any other 
man within her borders, was made gover- 
nor of the state, and a reign of terror, mis- 
rule and tyrany began. A governor with 
a retinue of ignorant, vicious, dishonest 
followers, willing and anxious to humiliate 
and punish the leading and best citizens of 
the state, caused a distressing state of 
afifairs to exist. 

The Negro Enfranchised. — To still 
further humiliate the Southern people an 
amendment was added to the constitution 
which placed the ballot in the hands of 
every negro man in the South twenty -one 



92 

years old, and not satisfied with this lead- 
ing citizens of the South were disfranchised. 
Thousands of the most prominent and 
influential citizens of the State of North 
Carolina were disfranchised. An election 
was ordered and held but everything: was 
one way, and many of the ' poll holders 
were big "buck nig-gers" that would not 
have known the Constitution of the United 
States from the Ten Commandments. 

Carpetbaggers. — The carpetbagfg^ers 
and low down thieves, thugs and bums 
that were tacked on to the tail end of the 
Yankee army and left to torture, torment 
and terrorize the peaceable, lawabiding 
citizens of the South were now busy with 
their fiendish work. They had already 
done effective preparatory work by visit- 
ing and mingling freely with an element 
congenial to their degraded and vitiated 
tastes. They had frequented negro cabins 
which were thickly scattered over th:! 
country. These ignorant, confiding negroes 
were easily prevailed upon to meet in old 
fields, woods, or old houses located in 
obscure places where they organized and 
instructed them. 

The Negro Politicians. — The negro 
politician loomed up and these selfconsti- 
tuted bosses pictured to them in glowing 
colors the beauty and grandeur of a posi- 
tion they would occupy where their former 
owners and other leading white citizens 
would have to bow the knee and acknowl- 
edge their royal authority. They were 



93 

informed that the lands owned by South- 
ern white people would be confiscated and 
divided out among' them. Some of them 
in obedience to instructions went so far as 
to stake off forty acres of land v/here they 
wanted it, with the assurance that it would 
be g'iven them. They were also promised 
with the forty acres of land and a mule, and 
were happy in anticipation in the near 
future of being" in posession of immense 
wealth. Their political aspirations were if 
possible more extravag-ant. Offices not 
wanted by these designing political rob- 
bers were parcelled out to neg^roes that 
they could use to do their bidding". 

Election a Farce. — An election was 
held that was worse than a farce. The 
negroes marched up to the polls like droves 
of sheep and deposited a piece of paper in 
a box that they could not have told by 
looking" at it whether it was a ballot or 
ticket for passage on a railroad or admis- 
sion into a theatre. In North Carolina 
the ballot boxes were sent to Charleston, 
S. C, for the ballots to be counted by a 
military commander. To the leg"islaturo 
were elected a few good citizens and a host 
ef carpetbaggers, scalawags, and negroes, 
the last three named having overwhelming 
majorities. 

Legislature. — The leg^islature met 
composed of this motley crew to enact 
laws for the g"overnment of the people of 
our loved State. In the leg"islature were 
a few representative members mixed in 



94 

with the disreputable carpetbaggfers, scala- 
wag^s and igfnorant neg^roes, and an org^an- 
ization effected by a few sharp unprinci- 
paled alien adventurers who at once began 
to plan a system of robbery bold, insolent 
and disgraceful, and their corrupt ignorant 
tools were ready to do anything dictated 
by them. The legislature remained in ses- 
sion an entire year, the members voting 
themselves seven dollars per day, and some 
of them computing their mileage over a 
roundabout way to give them an excuse 
to augment their mileage accounts. The 
public school fund that had been 
sacredly preserved through the four years 
vicissitudes of war was taken to pay the 
per diem of the members of the mob that 
had convened under the name of legisla- 
ture. State bonds were voted and issued 
for millions of dollars ostensibly to build 
railroads, but the proceeds of the bonds 
were gobbled up by money sharks and no 
railroads built. Many of these bonds were 
later repudiated by the state as fraudulent. 
A system of state, county and municipal 
government prevailed that was oppressive, 
and the good people of the state were 
humiliated and felt outraged without hav- 
ing any chance to remedy the evil exist- 
ing. 

County Officers. — In the legislature 
were several negroes and in some counties 
were negro sheriffs, registers of deeds, 
county commissioners, magistrates and 
school committees. While such a state of 



95 
affairs was humiliating, perhaps the car- 
petbag"g:ers and some of the home made 
scalawag's who forgetting and forsaking" 
their race and color, acting with them 
were, if possible, a worse curse to the 
state than the negro himself. White peo- 
ple were arrested upon warrants issued by 
negro magistrates who tried their cases 
and gloated over an opportunity to punish 
them. Extortionate taxes were levied and 
collected and in some counties claims were 
held by officers and people were obliged to 
sell them at a tremendous discount and 
the officers and their pet partners would 
buy them in and pay themselves full value 
from the county fund. Their outrageous 
extravagance disgusted all decent white 
people and their methods were universally 
condemned. The negro as a politician 
became aggressive and the bosses were 
obliged to put their names on the ticket 
because in many places they furnished the 
voting population. Negroes became of- 
fensive and entirely ignored their former 
owners and other white friends who were 
disposed to treat them fairly, and accepted 
as their advisers these low down carpet- 
baggers and if possible lower scalawags. 
The negro depended almost entirely for 
his living upon the better class of white 
people and notwithstanding all his preju- 
dice and bitterness, acknowledged this 
fact, but a dirty thief or a dirty, no account 
white man of the class used to do their 
dirty work would tell them if they voted 



/ 



96 

with the old secession crowd, as they call- 
ed them, they would be put back in slavery, 
but if they voted as they suggested they 
would surely get the forty acres of land 
and a mule, and what was still more pleas- 
ing to them would place themselves in a 
position to wreak revenge on this now- 
despised class. Some of the hireling serfs 
were willing to sell their birthright for less 
than a miserable mess of potage, and went 
so far as to advise the poor, ignorant, con- 
fiding negro, in case he was refused work 
by this class of white people, to steal such 
as he needed from the corn cribs, wheat 
houses, smoke houses and if that would 
not suffice to burn their barns or to burn 
them out of house and home. 

Crimes Committed. — Under this wicked 
teaching or training crimes galore we re 
committed and men were unsafe and wo- 
men insecure to go along the streets or 
highways. Instead of law and order 
anarchy reigned supreme and crime stalked 
boldly in the land heretofore noted for 
peace, happiness and prosperity. 

Negroes Offensive. — Young negroes 
became offensive as a result of the false 
training of this vicious class of men and 
some women, pretended religious enthus- 
iasts, who knew nothing of the class of 
people to whom they were teaching a 
doctrine of direct or indirect social equal- 
ity. Ambitious notions took possession of 
the bestial natures of some of the worst 
element of the race and results revolting 



97 
to think of blackened the page of histoiy 
of this fearful period. 

W. W. Holden was then g^overnor of 
North Carolina, and could have used his 
fine talent, directed in a proper channel, to 
have been a blessing- instead of a curse' to 
the people of the State whom it was his 
sworn duty to protect instead of persecut- 
ing-. The Executive and Judicial powers 
of the State were silent as the grave and 
by their silence put their seal of approval 
upon the disgraceful transactions, thus 
staining- their administration with crime 
and the approval of crime and becoming- a 
party seeking- and wreaking- reveng-e. 

Ku Klux Klan. — The ferocious 
wretches became so bold in the commission 
of their outrag-es that in defense of life and 
property the g-cod people of the country 
org-anized a society called by different 
names in different places but known every 
where as the "Ku Klux Klan." The ob- 
ject of the organization was to secure pro- 
tection that the pretended officers of the 
law failed to give to the oppressed people. 

Holden and Kirk. — Governor Holden 
prevailed with his g^ang- of blind partizans 
in the leg:islature to pass a lav/ authorizing- 
him to declare martial law in any part of 
the state. This he proceeded to do in a 
few counties and had some citizens of the 
highest character, accused of committing- 
heinous crimes. Federal troops were sent 
to these counties, not troops made up in 
the state, but a gang- of cut-throats from 



93 

Tennessee, commanded by aa ackiiowleJ^^ed 
vicious wretch by the name of Ki^-k. 

Governor Holden was not satisfied with 
the scope of power given him, but wrote 
to the president asking: for Federal author- 
ity allowing- arrests to be made and parties 
tried before a military tribunal hoping to 
have some of the best citizens of the state 
shot at the stake. Congress refused to 
jConfer on the president the power to de- 
;clare martial law. The governor and his 
crowd had to depend on such state author- 
ity as they had. managed to usurp. Col. 
Ivirk with his gang had invaded the state 
under the direction of the governor and 
more than one hundred citizens were 

arrested and imprisoned bv Kirk and his 

jio.i . 

rnmions 

JUDICIARY Exhausted. — Chief Justice 

Pearson had until this time been regarded 

as a just judge, and application was made 

V"T'3V 

'to him for a writ of habeas corpus that 

-do ' . . • 1 ^ 1 11 

men in prison might know why tney were 

imfirisoned. Judge Pearson granted the 

t3 rl 1 . 1 

writ but when an attempt was made to 

3! (TO . T-^. . , . . . . , 

ser^e it on ivirk he ignored it unaer the 
plea that he was acting under orders from 
'Governor Holden. Counsel of the prisoners 
;4sKed for further process to punish Kirk 
but.tTife Chief Justice lield tliat his p.jwer 
was exhausted and thpt the Judiciary could 
no.t contend with the Executive. The high- 
est judges in the state claimed to be power- 
less and the Holde.i Kirk conspirators, 
altltougli panting to get recognition from 

iTIOil ^j£ 



99 
the Federal Government, beg'an to make 
preparations to form a Drumhead court to 
consist of thirteen members — seven to be 
appointed by the governor and six by 
Colonel Kirk. The Chief Executive of the 
state expecting^ to preside over this court 
and try cases with the Judiciary in sig-ht 
and hearing-, declaring itself helpless. 

Judge Brooks. — The right will usually 
prevail and Judge Brooks a Federal Judge 
listened to the cry of the distressed and 
oppressed and gave them relief. Governor 
Holden and Colonel Kirk could net intim- 
idate him with their scarecrow cries of war 
and bloodshed. He gave Kirk peremptory 
orders to allow his prisoners to come be- 
fore him at Salisbury within ten days. 
Governor Holden asked the president to 
interfere and he promptly informed him 
that Judge Brook's order must be obeyed. 
Nothing was against the prisoners and 
they were released, and the state was socn 
relieved of the presence of the Kirk mob. 
Governor Holden was impeached, con- 
victed and expelled from his high office. 
The people rose in their might and par- 
tially redeemed the state, but it took years 
to accomplish the desired effect. 

One hundred thousand ignorant negroes 
were enfranchised and their proportional 
numerical strength of the voting population 
enabled them to exert a baneful influence 
which very much afflicted the counsels of 
our stat€, 

Negro Proclem. — This brings to the 



lOO 

surface tlie neg^ro problem, which will not 
he discussed here, but the different phases 
of neqfro life at different periods of time 
will be noticed. The neg^ro was broug-ht 
to this country from a heathen land cen- 
turies ag'O and it was soon discovered that 
a Southern climite was suitable to his 
health and growth and as a commercial 
commodity in the South he w^ould be prof- 
itable. The neg^ro living as a servant of 
the white families developed many com- 
mendable t-raits of character. Under the 
influence of an acknowledg-ed superior race 
he became partially civilized and became 
very much attached as a servant to his 
master and mistress as he was pleased to 
call them. He ]:>roug-ht with him from the 
dark continent some traits of character 
that were inherent and hard to eradicate. 
As a slave he was faithful and the gfreat 
mass of them were happy, and g"rowin$^' up 
with white children loved and respected 
them without once thinking' himself their 
social equal. Before the war and during^ 
the war it was a very rare case to hear 
of an outrag^e being; committed. Th'^ 
negro was happy in his surrounding's, hav- 
ing" no cares for the future, knowing he 
would be provided for even in sickness 
and old age. During' the war he cared for 
and as far as he was capable protected the 
white women and children at home while 
their fathers, brothers and husbands were 
in the army. 

TheOldTimeDarkey. — 

The old time darkey is in the evening" of his life, 
After the passing: of the last one with the race 

there will be strife, 
He is a colored gentleman in company or at home 
And when asked to do a favor always will come. 
If his people are suffering: with hunger or in dis- 
tress 
He will divide his last slice of bacon or last crumb 
of bread; 



lor 

If at anytime employed in the field at work 

He does not have to be watched for he will not 

shirk. 
He is polite in company, at home, on the road, or 

street 
And will pull of his hat to anyone he may meet; 
He is proud of his freedom, and g-lad he is n jt a 

slave 
But remembers his early training: and knows hovv' 

to behave. 
He has bought his acre of land that he claims as 

his own 
Has built a rude cabin and lives at home. 
When a slave he worked throug-h the week and on 

Saturday nig-ht 
Danced to the tune of the banjo till broad dayligrht 
Then on Sunday all through the day 
Courted his dusky damsel in the old time way. 
If asked how he liked roasted potatoes, opossum or 

chicken to eat 
With a broad g-rin he answers "Dem thing's is 

SA^'^eet." 
He said poor nig-g-er g'ot tired of bacon and corn 

bread. 
And relished g-ood eating- before he went to bed. 
He owns he was fond of nice good picking- 
And thought it was no harm for m ister's niggers 

to eat master's chickens, 
His mouth still waters and he sighs for the luxury 

so fine 
When he feasted on watermelons in the good old 

Summer time. 
During the war he was industrious, polite and 

genteel 
And took care of women and children while th3 

men were in the field. 
He was loyal to the South as any Southern son 
And his conduct should be classed with Southern 

victory won. 
The old black mamma that stayed around the horn 3 
And took care of the children the same as her own. 
The children remember her kindness and care 
Though now growing old they are children to her, 
The old time darkeys are well meaning and try to 

check 
The young generation that are losing self respect. 



The Emancipated Negro. — To do tlu 
negro race justice, there is no doubt if they 
had heen let alone to follow their own in- 
clinations and juflg^ment they would have 
been largely influenced in their conduct 
after being" emancipated by their former 
owners and the better class of white peo- 
ple of the South who were then and are 
now their best friends, because having: 
g-rown up with them in an entirely differ- 
ent social scale are better calculated to 
advise them for their g-ood. Two classes 
of people accepted by them as their advis- 



I02 

ers are responsible for present conditionr. 
A low class of avaricious, igfnorant, known 
enemies of the South who have used them 
to advance their own selfish interests, and 
another equally objectionable class of 
Northern religious fanatics, whose training- 
lead them to believe that the Southern 
people treated them inhumanly. By ming- 
ling with them socially and teaching them 
that they were entitled to recognition in 
the social circle of the whites, caused theni 
to have aspirations and ambitions to which 
they can never attain. 

The Southern people at once acknowl- 
edged their freedom, and were ready to 
help them in their scruggle for a more pros- 
perous career, and were willing to give 
them their rights before the law but not 
willing to place the ballot in their hands or 
give them a place in the counsels of the 
government Negroes who have followed 
the advice of their real friends are now' 
doing well, accumulating property and are 
in possession of homes of their own and 
their children are being educated, but those 
who have gone astray under the teaching 
and advice of aliens who know nothing 
about them and care less have become va- 
grants and criminals and are a menace to 
the communities in which they live. The 
negro problem will be solved by Southern 
people who know the characteristics of the 
race and will treat them in such a way as 
to enable them to build up as a race. If 
listened to their condition will be bettered 
and the tw^o races will live in the South- 
land together harmoniously, but if the 
advice of their only true friends is ignored 
it will be a survival of the fittest and like 
the Indians they will by the manangement 
of Southern people be provided with a 
home elsewhere and live to themselves and 



103 

enjoy the fullness of their freedom. 

The sun may be darkened and the moon stream in 
blood 

But the voice of the Ang-lo Saxons in our counsels 
\s ill be heard, 

The stars may fall and the earth with fervent heat 
melt. 

But the inflaence of an inEerior race in our coun- 
sels v^'ill not be felt- 

They may come from Greenland's icy mountain or 
India's coral strand. 

From the black continent of Africa orother heath- 
en lands: 

We will humanely treat the savag-e, and g:ive them 
their riarhts before the law. 

But before they undertake to rule they had better 
quietly withdraw. 

In our own Sunny South we will g-ive them a home 

And teach them civilization and to no longer roam , 

We have a knotty problem to solve in our own 
Sunny Southland, 

But will resist any interference from any alien 
band. 

The Coming South. — For forty yeais 
the oppressed South has been under a cloud 
g"roping" its way in the wilderness, a part of 
the time without even a feint hope of 
reaching- the promised land, but the clouds 
are breakiiig- an 1 throug-h the dense dark- 
ness can be traced at least the outline of a 
silver lining. To the most obscure vision 
a lig-ht appears, and the dullest prophet 
can forecast the sunshine soon to burst 
forth in magnificent splendor. .N'elther 
highths, lengths, breadths, depths, princi- 
palities nor all the powers that be can stop 
the onward march of education, industrirl 
development and universal wave of pros- 
perty destined erelong to place the people 
of this, by nature favored land, in posses- 
sion of their own. In the scientific, reli- 
gious, industr al and political world, the 
South is forging its way to the front rank, 
and our grand old state of North Carolina 
with its variety of soil, climate, minerals, 
tiiiibers and its progressive people is com- 
ing. From the foundation of the government 
till the sixties the native born talent of the 



I04 

South shaped and managed the affairs of 
the nation, and now she is coming-, after 
passing^ throng^h a fiery ordeal, to ag"ain 
resume a place that other sections of the 
country will be compelled to concede to 
her. 

We no longer hear the bellowing- cannon or clash 

of arms, 
Or the tramp of soldiers marching raising alarm. 
But instead the busy hum of machinery and tramp 

of children to school on their way. 
And the blessings of peace and prosperity making 

triumphant strides in their day. 



